Vander Plaats reacts to Huntsman’s plans to skip Iowa

Bob Vander Plaats visits with Oskaloosa residents on February 3, 2011 (file photo)

Pella, Iowa- Jon Huntsman announced earlier this week that if he runs for President, he will likely skip over the Iowa Caucuses. This move comes after Republican Candidate Mitt Romney has said that he will may skip the Iowa Straw Poll this year. The Iowa Caucuses have been a key part of the primary season however in recent months, the actual impact the Iowa Caucuses still have has come under scrutiny.

Early this week, Huntsman announced that he will likely skip Iowa because he does not support ethanol subsidies. Huntsman has said that he doesn’t want to “waste time” trying to win the votes of Iowans who support ethanol subsidies. In a Press Conference after Herman Cain’s visit to Iowa Monday, Bob Vander Plaats issued a statement on Huntsman’s decision.

“We’ve had a candidate of recent. former Governor and Ambassador Huntsman, who says he’s not going to come to Iowa because he disagrees with some on ethanol subsidies. To us, we believe Iowa in running for President is a laboratory for ideas. And so if he has a better idea, come up here and elevate the debate. But if he’s not going to participate in running for President by engaging in ideas, my guess is every state has got people that he disagrees with. So in our opinion, he almost disqualifies himself. He’s going to be President of 49 States? Is that the deal? I mean if he wants to run for President, come here. If he disagrees with ethanol subsidies come here and lets elevate and engage in the debate. So for Huntsman to say that, we thought Huntsman may say ‘I’m not coming to Iowa because of the family leader values like life and marriage and constitution and pro-family economic policy.’, but to say we’re going to run because of a serious debate on energy policy in this country. Are you serious? And your running for President of the United States? To us, he should be discounted right away.”

Vander Plaats also commented on Mitt Romney’s possible plans to skip Iowa. “Governor Romney, he has not said that he is going to completely skip Iowa as Governor Huntsman has. Governor Romney has come here. We have invited him to the Presidential Lecture Series. We are encouraging him to attend. But you know, I’ve been a candidate before. How would you guys like it if I said I’m never going to campaign in Johnson County because they completely disagree with me on everything I stand for. So you’re not qualified to run for that office. You know we’re going to Iowa City right now because we want to go to an area that doesn’t always agree with us. That’s where pick up is. So if Huntsman believes that we don’t agree with him, come out here. Lets have a serious debate because this is a time for serious candidates. And so we welcome Herman Cain and others but Huntsman, we would love to have you out here.”