Apparently you read it here first – see sub-topic below
West Davenport written off – not enough bling?
Yesterday evening a special convention was held to nominate a candidate for Scott County Recorder. The “Jewel” * of the Republican Party in Iowa, the Scott County Republican Party (SCRP) had prior to the evening failed to field candidates in five races for the Republican ballot lines in November. There were 105 County delegates in attendance, a credible turnout even if quorum did not require much more than the number turning out to ride on SCRP parade floats. Congratulations to Mindy Ortiz Carpenter for her decision to run and now official nomination. Ms Ortiz Carpenter’s candidate speech indicated solid credentials and a coherent platform. She was unopposed and her name will be on the ballot facing incumbent Rita Vargas.
Mindy Ortiz Carpenter has served over 34 years in the Recorder’s Office. The office among other concerns is responsible for maintaining vital records including marriage licenses, death and birth records; recording real estate deeds, military discharge records and the office is a portal for passport applications.
Candidate Ortiz Carpenter’s goal is to see to the office being full service the entire time it is is supposedly open for business. Recorder office hours are 8AM to 4:30PM but Ortiz Carpenter charged that citizens must be at the window by 4:00PM to be attended to in all matters. In part that serious inconvenience is due to knowledgeable clerks not being available to serve the public in all areas. It is not a matter of hiring but cross training. Ortiz Carpenter will see to cross training in order to assure full service.
Saturday Recorder hours are currently available only for passport application processing. Recognizing that county business should be better attended to around citizen work hours, under Ortiz Carpenter the office will be full service Saturdays, including until closing on weekdays.
Has Scott County Republican leadership written off West Davenport?
Scott County Republican recruitment efforts have fallen short in four races now including finding a candidate in Senate District 45 to oppose Joe Seng at a time when Republicans are supposed to be intent on taking over the State Senate. Other free rides for Democrats include the District 89 State House race to oppose James Lykam and District 90 State House seat held by Cindy Winkler. All the legislative districts without a Republican candidate are situated primarily in West Davenport. That is not how encompassing district races are won or effective stage setting is achieved for future elections.
The Scott County Attorney race is also a free ride for the Democrat incumbent. County Attorney offices are frequently used to launch pursuit of federal and state office (Braley and former Governor Vilsack come to mind). Apparently that is one chess piece too far to play or counter for SCRP leadership.
Stealth Candidate Special Convention?
Scott County Convention delegates received a letter dated August 4 calling a special convention for August 21st with reference to the County Recorder position. No mention of Ortiz Carpenter was made in the letter. It is not untoward to mention the existing candidate(s) even though other candidates can be nominated at that time.
Curiously, we found no mention of the special convention prior to the event on the SCRP Web site (calendar or news or any other section) nor a Facebook reference. A search of the QC Times site showed no reference to the special convention call. Even more curiously, bizarre really, there is no reference at this writing (~3:00 PM August 22) to the Ortiz Carpenter nomination on the SCRP Web site or Facebook. Nor is there a story or even the tiniest blurb in the QC Times online at this writing.
Ortiz Carpenter looks to be a good candidate, nominated by popular Scott County Treasurer Bill Fennelly at the convention. We hope she is going to get better attention and more support in her race from the leadership of SCRP then demonstrated heretofore.
R Mall
* as termed by an eventual “fallen star,” the former State Party Chair Matt Strawn (readers will remember that the leaders of both organizations were involved in what we termed sullying the integrity of the 2012 precinct caucuses, Strawn had the integrity to admit fault.
I can’t be the only one to run in West Davenport. Someone else has to step up.
And you do well. Republicans can win there and certainly the effort helps city-wide, county, district, and state candidates. Presidential years will be toughest against a Dem incumbent. Thank you for having run and serving now.