A lesson for Iowa politicians: Never belittle farmers, especially Iowa farmers.
Thats a lesson Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley, whos running for Senate in the state, is learning the hard way, as Republicans continue to hit back against his comments about Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa).
The conservative America Rising PAC posted a video Tuesday of Mr. Braley addressing a group of lawyers at a Texas fundraiser, in which he derided Sen. Grassley as a farmer from Iowa who never went to law school [and] never practiced law.
Mr. Braley apologized for his remarks Tuesday afternoon, but Republicans are, well, making hay while the sun still shines. Mark Jacobs, the Republican businessman Mr. Braley will likely face in Novembers election, released a statewide radio ad Wednesday asking why the congressman would insult Sen. Grassley and all the hardworking Iowans who make their living off the land. Mr. Jacobs website adds: Bruce Braley thinks hes too good for Iowa and too good for Iowa farmers.
Iowa state Sen. Joni Ernst, whos also vying for the Republican nomination in the Senate race, got in on the action, too. Bruce Braley thinks the way to suck up to Texas trial lawyers is by bashing Iowa farmers, she said in a statement. How out of touch with Iowa can you be?
She called on Mr. Braley to apologize to Mr. Grassley and every other farmer in Iowa. (Ms. Ernst separately made a splash Tuesday when she released an ad entitled Squeal in which she says, I grew up castrating hogs on an Iowa farm, so when I get to Washington, Ill know how to cut pork.)
On Wednesday, the Braley campaign struck back at Mr. Jacobs. In a press release, the campaign said Mr. Braley grew up in rural Iowa and worked on Iowa farms, and as a congressman has kept fighting for Iowa farmers and agriculture. The campaign said Mr. Jacobs has been calling for the repeal of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, advocating for a return to his glory days on Wall Street.
Iowa is one of worst states to be a politician caught making digs at farmers. According to preliminary results of the 2012 Census of Agriculture, Iowa has the third-highest number of farms of any state in the U.S.
Mr. Braley, whos running to succeed retiring Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin, held a double-digit lead over most of his likely Republican challengers, according to a Quinnipiac poll earlier this month. Mr. Jacobs trailed by nine percentage points in that poll.
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Republicans Continue Bashing Braley Over His Grassley Remark