Today is a day to feel pride and show our support for a fellow Iowan: former Gov. Tom Vilsack.
It’s still difficult for many Republicans to feel much excitement about the Democrats’ sweeping victories last month, but if we’re going to have a Democratic administration it’s good for Iowa that Tom Vilsack will be part of it. (It’s also an impressive personal accomplishment for which the Mount Pleasant Democrat deserves hearty congratulations.)
The Des Moines Register editorial board got it right this morning with its observation that Vilsack’s nomination “would put in position a smart, forward-thinking leader at a time when a hungry, fuel-starved world needs better policies shaping American agriculture.”

Knowledgeable about traditional agriculture – corn, soybeans, cattle, hogs and poultry – and a friend of the ethanol industry, Vilsack will have a prominent role in shaping rural development policies. That’s going to be as important for Polk County as it is the rest of our state – and the rest of the Midwest.
No matter our political or policy differences may have been from time to time, Tom Vilsack’s nomination ranks as a plus for Iowa in my book.