CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - The Latest on Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett’s announcement that he is running for Iowa governor (all times local):
6:40 p.m.
Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett says he’s running for governor to offer Iowa a “new game plan” after the departure of longtime Gov. Terry Branstad.
Corbett announced plans Tuesday to run as a Republican in next year’s primary, challenging Iowa’s new governor, Kim Reynolds.
Corbett made the announcement in a neighborhood that the city helped rebuild following the devastating 2008 floods in Cedar Rapids. He said that he wants to “revitalize Iowa the way we have revitalized the state’s second largest city.”
Corbett described himself as a “conservative Republican with an independent streak.” He said he would focus on several core issues, including plans to overhaul the state’s tax code, protect its water and soil and improve its public schools.
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5:20 p.m.
All signs are pointing to Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett announcing his entry into the race for governor - literally.
“Corbett for Governor” signs are hung behind a stage in Cedar Rapids where Corbett is planning to address supporters on Tuesday evening. The signs suggested he would run on a tag line of a “new game plan for Iowa.”
Campaign aides wearing “Corbett for Governor” shirts are also present.
If Corbett runs, the June 2018 GOP primary would feature Iowa’s first female governor running against the popular mayor of the state’s second largest city.
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12 p.m.
Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett is expected to announce Tuesday whether he will challenge Gov. Kim Reynolds for the Republican nomination for governor.
Corbett has scheduled an evening picnic with supporters at a newly thriving neighborhood in Cedar Rapids, where he’s been mayor since 2009. The 56-year-old previously served as Iowa House speaker in the 1990s.
If Corbett runs, the June 2018 GOP primary would feature Iowa’s first female governor running against the popular mayor of the state’s second largest city.
Several Democratic candidates are also running for their party’s nomination. The campaign is expected to be closely watched nationally because Iowa has trended Republican in recent years.
Reynolds became governor last month when her political mentor, Gov. Terry Branstad, resigned to become the U.S. ambassador to China.
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