VINTON -- For the candidates hoping to replace outgoing state Sen. John Putney, governing comes down to setting priorities and sticking to them.

Putney, a Republican from Gladbrook representing Senate District 20, is not seeking re-election.

Republican Tim Kapucian of Keystone and Democrat Randy Braden of Vinton are competing for the seat. The district covers Tama, Grundy and Benton counties.

Braden is superintendent of the Vinton-Shellsburg School District and says the state had a good set of goals under Gov. Tom Vilsack's eight year tenure, focusing on things like energy, education and advanced manufacturing.

"Those areas have a great potential for growing our economy," he said.

But many times the goals weren't honored. School districts never saw the 4 percent in allowable growth of education spending, Braden said, partially blaming legislators and fluctuating enrollments across the state.

"I think the state needs to identify priorities and stick with them," he said.

Kapucian is a farmer and says the state should reign in "out-of-control spending." He said the state is funding too many "frivolous things," like $120,000 for flower pots in Des Moines or $80,000 for organ repairs in Clermont that have little impact on the rest of Iowa.

"Things have just gotten out of hand," he said.

Kapucian said tightening spending could help solve a number of issues, like increasing budgets for education and transportation without raising taxes.

Kapucian would also like to see tighter controls over state money, such as the Secure an Advanced Future for Education fund, the statewide pool of local option sales tax dollars created this year and meant to help school districts.

Lawmakers might dip into the fund, like they have in the past with the Senior Living Trust fund, which is meant to build assisted living facilities or help seniors stay in their homes, he said. That could be stopped with a constitutional amendment, he said.

"That money should be off the table for other things," Kapucian said.

Braden doesn't think an amendment is needed because most schools dedicate the tax dollars for a specific use, usually for tax relief. That makes it hard for legislators to raid the fund.

"I sure think it'd be risky to change that in this state," he said.

One issue affecting District 20 is whether to expand gaming. Tama County passed a referendum in 2006 authorizing a casino near Cherry Lake.

Braden said the state needs to study whether the four most recent casinos, including the Isle in Waterloo, are generating money before expanding gaming elsewhere.

"I wouldn't say that I'm not opposed to expanding, but I'd sure like to look at how that's working with success," he said.

Kapucian opposes the idea of granting more gaming licenses.

"I think we have enough opportunities to gamble in the state already," he said.

Contact Josh Nelson at (319) 291-1565 or josh.nelson@wcfcourier.com.