RETENTION VOTE: Dueling Bus Tours Begin

Two separate bus tours are underway, each supporting a different side of a contentious issue this upcoming election.

The topic is the retention vote for Iowa Supreme Court justice David Wiggins.

The Family Leader, a Christian conservative group based in Iowa, is asking Iowans to vote out Justice Wiggins. 

Two years ago the same group mounted a successful political campaign to vote out justices David Baker, Michael Streit, and chief justice Marsha Ternus. All three justices had been up for a retention vote.

Critics targeted the justices when they declared banning same sex marriage in Iowa was unconstitutional — opening the door for same sex couples to marry in Iowa.

Wiggins is the only member of the Supreme Court that was part of that decision that is up for retention this year.

Supporters of Justice Wiggins are also launching an initiative to keep him on the bench. The Vote Yes tour also kicks off Monday. The group vows to follow the Vote No bus from stop to stop to counter its argument.

Both buses began their tours at the State Capitol Monday morning.