Iowa is on a good track, but needs to do more to attract and retain younger people. Culver, the teacher and coach, represents ideas we believe will keep the state on track and raise the state’s profile among young people.

Our recommendation for Iowa governor is Democrat Chet Culver. Between him and Republican Jim Nussle, Culver is clearly the better choice. We are especially impressed with Culver’s attitude toward education -- one of the most important expeenditures the state makes each year, and the key to Iowa’s prosperity. That likely has something to do with Culver’s background as a teacher and coach.

Culver has taken his working knowledge about state government and molded it into proposals on education, economic development and renewable energy. He correctly identifies renewable energy as a historic opportunity for Iowa to remake its economy, and he has presented reasonably detailed ideas for helping it happen.

Culver has a strong record as secretary of state, and we like what we hear about his plans to bring more efficiency and modernization to all statewide agencies.

The rigors of the campaign trail have benefited Iowa Secretary of State Chet Culver. In his interview with the Press-Citizen’s editorial board Wednesday, Culver spelled out the same optimistic vision for establishing Iowa as a leader in alternative energy that he offered in his candidate interview before the primary election this spring. But now he’s providing more and more examples about how to make that vision a reality. Although we did not endorse Culver in June’s Democratic primary, we do endorse him for the Nov. 7 gubernatorial election.

(Des Moines) Today, Governor-elect Chet Culver and Lt. Governor-elect Patty Judge announced key members of the transition team, including Chair Bonnie Campbell and Staff Director Charlie Krogmeier.

The Nussle campaign itself admitted yesterday that the only way an increase in the Iowa minimum wage will pass is if Democrats are elected across the board.

Western Iowa Republicans Not Excited About Election Day:

According to today’s Sioux City Journal, Plymouth County Republican leaders “sense lackluster enthusiasm among local GOP voters.”

(Des Moines) KCCI, the Des Moines CBS television affiliate, released their latest independent poll on the Iowa governor’s race today. The survey showed Secretary of State and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver continues to lead Congressman Jim Nussle by a margin of 50 percent to 45 percent.

Secretary of State Chet Culver’s campaign for governor keeps the momentum steamrolling on with the endorsements of three major Iowa newspapers today. The Des Moines Register, the Quad City Times, and the Mason City Globe Gazette all endorsed Chet Culver’s candidacy and his plan to lead Iowa forward.