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What a difference a day makes.

Two of Iowa Democrats most preferred candidates for governor in 2018if not the two most-preferredwere removed from consideration with a pair of announcements Tuesday.

Tom Vilsack, the former two-term Iowa governor and two-term U.S. agriculture secretary, announced he has accepted a position as CEO of the Arlington, Va.-based U.S. Dairy Export Council, and state Sen. Liz Mathis of Cedar Rapids said after giving it consideration she has decided against running for governor in 2018.

Vilsack and Mathis were two of the most popular potential gubernatorial candidates for Iowa Democrats. And in one day, both took their names out of the running.

Vilsack remains immensely popular among Iowa Democrats, but his gubernatorial candidacy was a long shot. Vilsack insisted multiple times he had no plan to run for public office again, and almost every Iowa Democrat I talked to had nearly the same response: It would be a dream come true if Vilsack decided to run for governor, but none believed he would.

Mathis was the more realistic potential candidate, and one many Iowa Democrats hoped would run. She has become a leader in the Iowa Senate, in particular one of the prominent critics of the states transition to privately managed operation of its $5 billion Medicaid program, a move made by Republican Gov. Terry Branstad without legislative approval.

And Mathis is popular in her district, where she was a former television news anchor. She has parlayed that popularity into impressive electoral success: She has been re-elected twice in a Senate district that has two Republican representatives.

But Mathis, citing the $10 million or more it is thought to be necessary to win Iowas 2018 gubernatorial race, said Tuesday she is taking a pass.

Having options 1A and 1B taken off the table in one fell swoop last week is cause for some disappointment for Iowa Democrats, especially given how crucial the 2018 election is for them after consecutive terrible elections in 2014 and 2016. In the former, Joni Ernst gave Iowa two Republican U.S. senators and Branstad cruised to re-election; in the latter, the GOP in a landslide took control of the Iowa Senate, giving the party full lawmaking control at the Statehouse for the first time in two decades, making the states delivery to President Donald Trump mere icing on the electoral cake.

The 2018 election gives Iowa Democrats their first chance to reverse that downward spiral and break up Republicans control. Having a candidate who can take back Terrace Hill is crucial for the party.

So to whom do Democrats now turn?

Only Vilsack would have cleared the Democratic primary field. Even with Mathis, a competitive and well-populated primary was likely. That remains the most likely case.

Rich Leopold, director of the Polk County Conservation Board and a former state director of the Department of Natural Resources under Democratic Gov. Chet Culver, already has announced his run.

Andy McGuire, whose tenure as state party chairwoman just ended last week, is all but a lock to run.

And other Democratic state legislators who may run include Jeff Danielson of Cedar Falls, Janet Petersen of Des Moines and Todd Prichard of Charles City.

Democrats in 2018 will not have to face the undefeated Branstad, who plans to resign this year in order to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to China. But Branstads understudy, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, will have a two-year head start at election, amassing experience and news coverageand the corresponding name recognitionnot to mention fundraising. Assuming Reynolds wins the Republican primaryCedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett may have something to say about thatshe likely will be a formidable opponent in 2018.

As would have Vilsack or Mathis. So its next man or woman in for Iowa Democrats.

Erin Murphy covers politics and state government for Lee Enterprises. His email address is erin.murphy@lee.net.

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2 top Iowa Democrats pass on governor's race - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier