Iowa Gubernatorial Candidate Vows to Repeal Marriage Equality, Would Issue Executive Order to Halt Same-Sex Marriages

Bob Vander Plaats, a Sioux City businessman, has announced that he plans to be the Republican challenger to Democrat Iowa governor Chet Culver in 2010.

An avid opponent to marriage equality, he has vowed to reverse the state Supreme Court ruling and will put into motion an executive order halting all same-sex marriages until both the state legislature and voters can have a say on the matter. However, Vander Plaats is aware that if he goes down this road, he fully expects Democrats to try to remove him from office for “promoting lawlessness.”

Vander Plaats ran for governor in 2002 and lost in the primary, ran again in 2006 before being chosen as Jim Nussle’s running mate, but lost to Chet Culver.

Vander Plaats, one of six potential candidates for the 2010 Republican ticket, is a former high school teacher and principal. He is currently the president of MVP Leadership Inc., a business consulting firm.