There's a political showdown drawing near in Iowa. A duel that could shape the fate of pro-chiropractic legislation in Washington over the next six years.
Democratic Senator Tom Harkin, a longtime supporter of chiropractic, is facing off against Republican Congressman Greg Ganske, an MD plastic surgeon, in the November 2002 election for the U.S. Senate seat.
Both sides are expecting this to be a close race. Sen. Harkin is leading Rep. Ganske by only nine percentage points in his bid for a fourth consecutive Senate term, according to a Des Moines Register survey taken June 21-26. The poll showed that Sen. Harkin's lead has diminished significantly in the last six months, from a 23-point lead (for a hypothetical matchup) in December 2001. At press time, of Iowans who say they "definitely" plan to vote this fall, approximately 50 percent support Harkin; 41 percent favor Ganske. The poll had a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points.
Sen. Harkin has a strong track record of supporting chiropractic legislation, and alternative care in general: In 1992, he helped create the Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM) at the NIH; he eliminated the requirement for diagnostic x-rays prior to chiropractic care for Medicare patients in 1997; in 1998 he lifted the status of the OAM to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and boosted its budget to over $100 million; he pushed for the now mandatory access to chiropractic care for all active military personnel; and he has secured federal funding for Palmer College of Chiropractic.
Sen. Harkin has stated, "I see supporting chiropractic not just as an opportunity to help my state, but also to help the millions of chiropractic patients throughout the country."
Rep. Ganske appears to share some of Sen. Harkin's views on patients' rights, but they are split on many legislative options. Ganske, although not clearly anti-chiropractic, has not supported the chiropractic profession, despite many opportunities. Writing in the May 2002 issue of The Beacon, the student newsletter at Palmer College, Emil Tompkins noted, "Not that we should have anything against medical doctors, but Greg Ganske has absolutely no history of supporting chiropractic issues. Who would you rather have in the office?"
Sen. Harkin serves on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee; the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee; the Appropriations Committee; and chairs the Agricultural, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
Sen. Harkin was Dynamic Chiropractic's 1996 "Chiropractic Champion of the Year" in recognition of his support for the profession, in the form of legislation advocating chiropractic, including the 1997 Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, which set aside millions of dollars for chiropractic education and research. He also receives strong support from the American Chiropractic Association, which has provided Harkin's campaign fund with the maximum amount allowed under Federal Election Commission law.
"Rarely does a member of Congress come along who is as truly dedicated to the chiropractic profession as doctors of chiropractic themselves are. Senator Harkin of Iowa is one such senator," proclaimed the ACA's Summer 2001 Political Action Committee newsletter.
Tom Harkin was born in small-town Cumming, Iowa in 1939, the son of a coal miner and a mother who died when he was 10 years old. He studied economics at Iowa State University on a Navy ROTC scholarship, and from 1962-1967 he served in the Navy as a jet pilot. He went on to work for an Iowa Congressman and obtained his law degree in 1972 from the Catholic University of America Law School in Washington, D.C.
In 1974, Harkin won the congressional seat for Iowa's 5th District, and has served continuously on the U.S. Senate since 1984. He boasts many famous campaign donors, such as stars Anthony Edwards, Bradley Whitford (of TV's "The West Wing"), and Barbra Streisand. His popularity has allowed him to raise over $3 million for his campaign fund, compared to Ganske's approximately $630,000.
Tomkins, writing for the Palmer College newsletter, perhaps sums up the election best for Iowa chiropractors: "I would like to challenge and encourage you to forget about party lines for a moment. This is not an ICA/ACA issue. It is a chiropractic issue. When the time comes, register and vote for Tom Harkin, who has stood strong for chiropractic for years."
Sen. Harkin can be contacted at tom_harkin@harkin.senate.gov. His website is www.tomharkin.com. Campaign donations can be sent to:
Citizens for HarkinRyan Lockwood,
PO Box 811
Des Moines, IA 50304
(515) 277-9966
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