Patch Election Guide 2012: The Races Most Important to You, Urbandale

Get ready Urbandale, the political chatter is cranking up again. The good news: Patch is focused on five races that are most important in Urbandale. We'll keep you up-to-date on what's happening here at the grassroots level in those key races.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the political rhetoric. Patch will learn about what's going on right here in Urbandale. Who are your friends and neighbors supporting and why? 

We'll help you focus on the races most important to you.

Urbandale will have a new county supervisor next year, no matter what happens at the polls.

Robert Brownell, a Clive Republican, is running unopposed after he and long-time Urbandale mayor and county supervisor E.J. Giovannetti were thrown into the same district. Giovannetti bowed out, rather than running against his colleague. So, you won't see a lot of coverage of that race on Patch, unless Brownell suddenly gets an opponent.

Here are five races that you do need to know about: 

President: Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney

Political experts say Iowa is one of several battleground states in the race, meaning the race is still a tossup here. So, we're likely to see a lot of both candidates here. In April, President  to talk about the need to keep student loan interest rates down, then in May he stumped in Des Moines on the economy, abortion rights, gays in the military and his desire to lead the country forward.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, has visited the state three times in the past month, usually focusing his comments on the economy. In a May Des Moines appearance, . 

Congressional District 3: Leonard Boswell vs. Tom Latham

Boswell, the Democratic incumbent, was thrown into a new Third District by re-districting and faces what the Des Moines Register is calling an uphill battle for re-election against incumbent Republican Tom Latham, who currently represents Iowa's Fourth District. Both have an agriculture background and a long tenure in Congress — Boswell has served for 15 years and Latham has been in the House of Representatives for 17 years.

Latham has his campaign headquarters in Urbandale, in Michele Bachmann's old headquarters, and is hosting a grand opening celebration tomorrow, June 23, at 11:30 a.m. 

Iowa House of Representatives: Mike Brown vs. John Forbes

Republican Scott Raecker, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and a Republican who has represented Urbandale since 1998, is stepping down this year. The race is on for his seat in the new House District 40, which is almost entirely Urbandale.

John Forbes, a Democrat and Urbandale City Councilman for six years and past president of the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce, told a group of supporters this month that he's been told Democrats have a good chance of winning the seat for the first time in decades, but he's not going to be overconfident.

He shouldn't be. Republicans outnumber Democrats 4 to 3 here, according to the Secretary of State's latest numbers. And Mike Brown is a young, attractive business owner and former Special Ops soldier in Afghanistan who has plenty of support from some leading Urbandale Republicans.

Polk County Sheriff: Dan Charleston vs. Bill McCarthy 

McCarthy has been Polk County Sheriff since 2008 and was formerly the Des Moines Police Chief. As a Democrat, he's fairly secure in his countywide election in the blue Polk County. However, McCarthy took uncharacteristic effort at a recent meeting of the fledgling Urbandale Democrats group to say that he believes "it would be a terrible mistake" to elect his challenger, Dan Charleston.

"I never had to say that about the lady I ran against last time and she never had to say that about me," McCarthy said. 

Charleston, a sergeant in the Polk County Sheriff's Department, has been critical of McCarthy on spending, speed cameras and immigration. He lists the right to bear arms as a key issue in his campaign and his Facebook page is populated by pro-gun messages. 

Iowa Supreme Court justices

Two years ago Iowans ousted three members of the Supreme Court for their support of a unanimous ruling that allowed same-sex marriage in the state. This November, another justice who took part in that ruling, David S. Wiggins, is up for retention and activists on both sides of the issue will be watching to see if voter anger over same-sex marriage still burns as hot. Also up for retention are the three newest justices on the court, who replaced those who lost their seats: Thomas D. Waterman, Edward Mansfield and Bruce Zager.