As a small rural state, Iowa always has to fight for relevance. Our paltry six electoral votes make us the equivalent of a corner of New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth.
Over the past half century, Iowa's claims to any power lay in two places – ranking U.S. Senators Charles Grassley and Tom Harkin (former senator), who chair and chaired, respectively, important committees with the power to assist Iowa's agricultural industries, and the Iowa Caucuses.
Read the rest of On the Side in the Feb. 6 Advance.
