Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad tries to bag some California companies

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad is sweeping through California in a bid to lure businesses away -- a mere week after his counterpart in Texas similarly tried to bag some Golden State companies.

Branstad and Texas Gov. Rick Perry had similar courtship strategies: Convince companies how terrible California is for businesses.

“A happy hunting ground,” is what Branstad called California during an interview on KCRA 3 in Sacramento.

“The state’s in a financial mess,” Branstad said. “Taxes are going up. There’s a lot of uncertainty.”

He then touted Iowa as a fiscally sound state with low taxes and a “good budget climate.” During his trip this week, Branstad said he’s making that pitch to about a dozen companies.

“They’re saying the California business climate is bad, and getting worse,” Branstad said.

Last week, Perry tried similar arguments in meetings with companies in the tech, entertainment and manufacturing industries. He kicked off his campaign with radio ads declaring that “building a business in California is next to impossible.”

Many economists say that despite some high-profile companies that have moved out of state, only a small percentage of jobs lost in California can be blamed on businesses that relocate.

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