High-Profile Political Departures Spark Iowa Speculation

Two departures have Iowa politicos talking.

A pair of high-profile Iowa political operatives have made abrupt exits, setting off ripples of speculation about what the moves mean.

Friday was Steve Deace's last day as afternoon talk-show host on Des Moines radio station WHO-AM. Deace tells FOX News he has some meetings this week, but not for another radio gig.

"I'm interested in seeing what might be out there in politics," Deace said. And he specifically mentioned a role in the 2012 Iowa Caucuses.

Deace could be quite helpful to a Republican candidate looking to make an impact in the first-in-the-nation presidential contest.

He made the Des Moines Register's "50 Most Wanted" list of Iowa Republican and Conservative political operatives. The article noted Deace as a radio host and "an Evangelical conservative with a loyal following." Deace is believed to have considerable reach within Iowa's Evangelical community, which is a force in the state GOP.

In some circles, Deace is credited with helping Bob Vander Plaats to a better than expected Central Iowa showing in last year's Republican gubernatorial primary, won by Terry Branstad who went on to win the seat in the general election.

Deace's contacts will be sought after. One Iowa politico told FOX News, "I told [ the potential candidate] we need to recruit Deace."

The other departure catching many political watchers off-guard was the announcement by former Iowa Democratic Party chairman Gordon Fischer.

On Facebook, Fischer last week posted a single sentence, "I am a registered Independent."

Fischer was an early backer of Barack Obama in the 2008 Iowa Caucus campaign which is viewed as the lynch-pin victory to his capturing of the Democratic nomination and then the presidency.

Messages, e-mails and phone calls to Fischer about his Democratic departure have not yet been returned.