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GOP leaders hope Iowa shake-up draws candidates

By WTOP Staff

CATHERINE LUCEY
Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s Republican Gov. Terry Branstad has spent the past year leading an effort to seize control of his state party, hoping to send a message that the kickoff presidential caucuses will be welcoming to all 2016 GOP hopefuls.

But as conservative prospects flood the state for a major annual gathering of evangelical Christians this weekend, it’s not clear whether the party makeover will make Iowa more attractive to a mainstream GOP contender. Evangelicals, tea partiers and libertarians remain strong in Iowa, which has been difficult terrain for more moderate Republicans in recent presidential cycles.

The lineup for the Family Leadership Summit in Ames — a daylong event expected to draw more than a 1,000 conservative Christians — features Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former caucus winners Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul has also been touring the state this week.

Meanwhile, appearances in Iowa by the more pragmatic options have been sparse.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie came once in his role as chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has not been seen since 2012. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, busy with a re-election campaign, last came in May 2013.

Still, Branstad insists he is confident the state will get plenty of candidate attention.

“My advice is always come to Iowa early, spend a lot of time here,” said Branstad, who is running for his sixth non-consecutive term and said his efforts are also geared at making 2014 a strong year for Republicans in Iowa.

The recent party shake-up came after veteran Iowa Republicans grew concerned that the party’s more conservative factions were displacing traditional Republicans. The victory by Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, in the caucuses in 2008 showed the power of the conservative vote.

Iowa Republicans are also still reeling from the debacle in 2012 when the state GOP initially declared Mitt Romney the winner and then admitted three weeks later that the conservative Santorum had received more votes. Shortly after that, supporters of libertarian U.S. Rep. Ron Paul took over the party leadership. The chairman then openly disagreed with Branstad on political and policy matters and fundraising languished.

Above all else, Branstad and his allies want to preserve Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, which have given the state — with just 3 million residents — an outsize influence on presidential politics.

Without new steps to assure the caucuses’ stability, “it would limit the number of candidates willing to take part in the caucuses and it could harm the caucuses,” said Jeffrey Boeyink, former chief of staff to Branstad.

Sen. John McCain skipped Iowa in his 2000 campaign and limited his time in the state in 2008.

The Iowa GOP now has a new chairman and new professional staff. Branstad supporters got involved in early party meetings this year so they had greater say in picking the leaders.

“There’s obviously a strong social conservative base to our party and that’s not changed,” said Branstad ally Doug Gross. “The traditional Republicans, those folks have sat out. Those folks have now re-energized and are back in the party.”

Supporters of these changes note that the party is now raising money again after several years of limited fundraising success. In addition, some note the wide range of Iowa candidates this year — Senate candidate Joni Ernst, a Branstad-backed conservative, and U.S. House nominee David Young, a former Capitol Hill staffer who defeated more vocally conservative candidates.

But, Chuck Laudner, a former executive director of the state GOP, said it would be hard to significantly increase the number of caucus participants — meaning a conservative may still have a leg up in 2016.

“Nothing’s changed on that front. The Iowa caucus turns out around a 150,000 on caucus night and they’re going to be the same 150,000,” he said.

Still, Sara Fagen, former political director for President George W. Bush, said this shift matters outside the state.

Candidates, she said, want to know that “you’re not going to have party officials undermining your effort.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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