Politics

Branstad open to running for re-election

Alexis Levinson Political Reporter
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ALTOONA, Iowa — Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad suggested he was open to running for re-election in 2014 at his birthday fundraiser on Saturday.

“Well, that’s the– we’re laying the groundwork,” Branstad told The Daily Caller in an interview at the event. “I guess, this is to keep our options open.”

Just the fact that he held a fundraiser stoked discussion of a possible re-election bid for the governor. Branstad was governor of the Hawkeye State from 1983 to 1999. In 2010, he once again entered the political sphere and took back his old job.

If he didn’t run, Branstad said, he would “do everything I can to help the Lieutenant Governor run.”

But it sounded like he was more likely to be the person at the topic of the ticket.

“I think there’s a good chance–,” Branstad began, cutting off. “I love what I’m doing, and I think we’re making a difference, and I don’t want to, you know–,” he continued, cutting off again.

“So as long as everything seems to be going…”

“We won’t make the decision ’til 2014. The bottom line is I won’t make the decision ’til then,” the Governor said. “But we’re certainly gonna keep our options open. We want to be in the strongest position possible.”

The money raised Saturday should help him with that. Branstad raised over $600,000, a record amount for the Governor in any single event, from people apparently inspired by Sen. Marco Rubio’s appearance as the keynote speaker.

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