Republican governor candidate Ron Corbett said he will report about $875,000 in fundraising on Friday, which he said is a way to demonstrate he is a competitive opponent for Gov. Kim Reynolds as she seeks to win the Republican nomination.
In an interview at the Journal office Monday, Corbett was asked to share the total he'll report for the fundraising period through Dec. 31, and the report is due to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board on Friday. He said the $875,000 amount through the end of 2017, plus another $200,000 verbally pledged from backers to be given in 2018, shows he is well positioned.
"It puts us in a position to be in a competitive race for the June 5 primary," Corbett said.
Corbett, a former state legislator and Cedar Rapids mayor, added, "I will have the resources to compete. I don't expect to outspend the governor...I have better solutions for the challenges facing Iowa."
He said he's heard in recent days from organizers of a debate in Des Moiners, to be jointly held by the Des Moines Register and KCCI television. He said he said he would be in that debate and would like to participate in another one in Sioux City, if it came on board.
"My guess is the governor won't agree to debates," Corbett added, noting that would be a good question to ask Reynolds when she makes a Friday stop at the Sioux City Country Club.
Corbett said the state of the state address by Reynolds last week was well-received by many politicos, but was short on specifics.
He said he has comparably been much more explanatory in airing four main campaign issues. Among those four are Corbett's plan to get more money to improve water quality from a three-eights of a penny sales tax increase and to modernize the Iowa income tax functioning by moving to a flat tax rate of 3 percent for all income levels.
"I've looked at this from a thousand different ways, and the flat tax is the way to go," he said.
Corbett was in Sioux City to knock on doors and make phone calls for legislative candidate Jacob Bossman one day before the Tuesday special election.
Bossman, a Republican, is vying with Democrat Rita DeJong for the Iowa House District 6 seat. Both DeJong and Bossman live in Sioux City. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
