Iowa to Vote in 2024 on Gubernatorial Succession Amendment

The Iowa State Legislature referred a constitutional amendment to the 2024 ballot that would create a system of succession in the case of temporary or permanent disability of the governor. The amendment would provide that if the governor dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor would assume the office of governor for the remainder of the term, thereby creating a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor. Under the amendment, if the lieutenant governor assumed the office of governor, they would have the authority to appoint a new lieutenant governor.

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Iowa Leaders React to Biden Administration’s $1 Billion for Expanding Independent Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity

Inside of a butcher shop with meat hanging up

The Biden Administration announced Monday it will spend $1 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds to increase independent meat and poultry processing capacity.

The administration will invest $375 million on independent processing plant projects that fill a need for diversified processing capacity, spend up to $275 million in working with lenders to increase availability of loans, particularly to underserved communities, for independent processors, and spend $100 million to back private lenders investing in independently owned food processing and distribution infrastructure to move product through supply chain.

It will spend and additional $100 million to support training, safe workplaces and jobs in meat and poultry processing facilities, $100 million in reducing overtime and holiday inspection costs for small and very small processing plants, and $50 million to provide independent business owners and producers with technical assistance and research and development.

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Conservative Grassroots Victory in Williamson County as Debbie Deaver Wins GOP Chair Election

Tennessee Star

FRANKLIN, Tennessee–Long-time conservative grassroots activist Debbie Deaver swept to victory over establishment favorite Tom Miller at a packed session of the Williamson County Republican Convention on Tuesday night. “Tonight the Williamson County Republican Party had a choice for leadership,” conservative activist and Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips, a resident of Williamson County who was in attendance, told The Tennessee Star. “The choice was between a Republican and a liberal. The party chose well,” Phillips said. An overflow crowd of more than three hundred Republican voters in Williamson County waited in long lines to get inside the Williamson County Administration Building for the evening’s votes. One former chairman of the Williamson County Republican Party told The Star it was the largest crowd he had ever seen gathered to vote for a new county chairman. Not everyone who showed up was selected as a delegate to the convention. The evening began when the attendees gathered in twelve separate groups, corresponding to the voting district of the county in which they reside. Each district selected a maximum of 30 delegates who were authorized to vote. A total of 262 delegates and 7 provisional delegates were selected. After all the delegates were credentialed,…

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Showdown in Williamson County: Conservative Grassroots Debbie Deaver Vs. Establishment Tom Miller in Fight for GOP County Chair

Tennessee Star - Deaver v Miller

For some, Tuesday, Feb 28 might be just another National Chocolate Soufflé Day, but to the Williamson County Republican Party loyalists, it’s time to pick a new GOP Chair. The election in 2015 of outgoing Chairwoman Julie Hannah was a great victory for the conservative grassroots. Of the two candidates running to replace her, many activists believe Debbie Deaver represents a continuation of Hannah’s high-energy, principled leadership. Party insiders agree the choice between the two candidates emerging from the Willamson County GOP Convention earlier this year is stark:  Establishment-supporting, Moderate Tom Miller, or conservative crackerjack, Deaver. Miller served as a Franklin alderman-at-large from 1997-2003, then was elected the Mayor of Franklin for a single term in 2003. However, although Miller enjoys a nearly ubiquitous reputation as a “nice guy,” some Republican activists fear the longtime Realtor and Franklin resident will “do nothing” but take orders from the Establishment Party Leaders in Tennessee like Governor Bill Haslam, and Senators Bob Corker and Llamar Alexander. “If Tom Miller is elected to the Williamson County Chair, we will go from being a strong conservative party organization, to simply being a big-government, liberal tax-and-spend organization,” said activist and Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips.…

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