Former Republican Governor Terry Branstad raised $1.55 million in the two and a half months after the start of his campaign and had $1.36 million left at the end of the year, while Democratic Governor Chet Culver raised $2.15 million in the past 12 months and ended the year with $2.59 million in his campaign chest.

"These fundraising numbers posted by the two governors forebode a very vigorous and spirited statewide campaign ahead," observed Pete Jeffries, senior counsel for Republican Jim Nussle's 2006 gubernatorial campaign.

January

January 10: Matt Strawn becomes chair of the Republican Party of Iowa, defeating former State Representative Danny Carroll of Grinnell by a vote of 10-7 to replace Stewart Iverson. Strawn, the Iowa Barnstormers co-owner and former state director for John McCain, takes his dark-horse candidacy on the road in the months after the November election. Members of the Republican State Central Committee attributed Strawn's win to his ability to use fresh approaches to bring in new members and said his state listening tour helped him gain credibility in his quest for the position.

Governor Chet Culver used a speech before the Iowa Taxpayers Association to unveil 90 cost-saving recommendations proposed by consultant Public Works of Philadelphia that he said have the potential to save $341 million in the first year, and nearly $1.7 billion in the next five years.

Many of the proposals call for consolidation. They include consolidating the state's 223 data centers, 23 e-mail systems, and $2 million in wireless-equipment contracts now purchased from seven vendors. They also call for consolidating mailrooms, Department of Natural Resources offices in Des Moines, and administrative functions at Department of Human Services institutions.

The report also calls for reducing the state's car fleet, consolidating property management, and selling surplus properties, including 5 to 10 percent of the 8,000 acres of state-owned prison farms that are no longer mission-critical.

And it calls for reducing human-resource staff in departments, using state master contracts for commonly purchased goods, negotiating Medicaid durable-medical-equipment prices, increasing efforts to collect debt, and making it easier to collect unpaid taxes.

The issue of housing accused terrorists in the Midwest was at the forefront this week as Thomson Correctional Center, in Illinois just over the Mississippi River from Iowa, is considered as a potential landing spot for Guantanamo Bay detainees after they leave Cuba.

Iowa Republicans spoke out against the possible transfer, while Democrats said they'd be open to the option.

Governor Chet Culver said that the transfer could create much-needed jobs.