Newspaper Calls Joni Ernst Chicken for Refusing to Meet with Iowa Editorial Boards (UPDATED)
After Iowa Republican senatorial candidate Joni Ernst reportedly canceled meetings with three different editorial boards less than two weeks from the 2014 midterm elections, Des Moines Register opinion editor Randy Evans and columnist Rekha Basu wondered if Ernst was chicken:
Feeling dissed by @Joniernst's refusal to meet with the DM Reg edit board, as planned – or Dubuque's or Cedar Rapids'. What's she scared of?
— Rekha Basu (@rekhabasu) October 23, 2014
.@joniernst cancelled plans to meet today w/ @DMRegister editorial board. Did the same w/ Cedar Rapids Gazette. Avoiding tough questions?
— Randy Evans (@DMRevans) October 23, 2014
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Ernst, who is neck and neck with opponent Bruce Braley, has reportedly canceled on the Des Moines Register, Cedar Rapids Gazette, and Dubuque Telegraph Herald. Meetings with ed boards precede newspapers’ endorsements of candidates, and are a forum for sustained questioning of the candidates’ positions.
In fairness, Basu at least was no fan of Ernst’s to begin with.
UPDATE 1:12 p.m. ET: The Ernst campaign responded in Politico:
“Joni is barnstorming the state, visiting all 99 counties and talking face to face with voters about the issues they care about most,” Hamel said. “Recent editorials in the Des Moines Register make their position in this race perfectly clear, and it’s one that many voters across our state seem to disagree with. With less than 12 days to go, time is precious and Joni wants to spend every minute talking to undecided voters, hearing their concerns, and demonstrating why we need a change in Washington.”
[Image via screengrab]
