The Chris Moeller Archives

Narcisse vs. Culver

Iowa Democratic Governor Chet Culver's got himself a much-needed primary opponent for 2010. Jonathan Narcisse is well-known in the capitol city. He recently stepped down from the Des Moines School Board as its most outspoken and contentious member, a loud opponent of administrative waste and of many of his colleagues. He's also the current publisher of the Iowa Bystander, a long-running newsweekly in the city focused on African-American issues.

The great compliment that can be paid to Narcisse is that he's an independent thinker. It's going to be thrilling to have a candidate in the running so publicly opposed to corporate welfare. He's been stumping already for campaign finance reform, and has said he will refuse PAC money for his campaign. He's pro-labor, pro-education reform, and he's personally and magnificently unpopular among members of the political class-- this last attribute being perhaps his greatest of all.

On the flip side, though, Narcisse is a social conservative the likes of which I could hardly get behind. He's opposed to abortion rights and gay marriage, and he's labeled the State Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriages an example of judicial overreach. Ugh. (Of course, Governor Culver is on record against that court ruling as well.)

Anyway, this is all Democrats' business, not mine. What's invigorating though is that Narcisse has vowed to re-enter the gubernatorial race as an independent candidate if he's defeated in the party primary this summer. That pledge of defiance indicates he's got brains enough to realize the system is rigged against him inside the apparatus of our profane duopoly. More ballot choices, YES. More candidates diving into the pool of participation-- and doing so out of personal principle, not as focus-group-approved stand-ins for our corporate paymasters. We should all be able to get behind that.

posted by CM @ 8:58 PM