CLEAR LAKE — Former U. S. Senator John Culver said Thursday that his son’s accomplishments during his first gubernatorial term has been “remarkable.”

“The most important thing in this campaign is that people know the success of the Chet Culver administration,” said the 78-year-old during the annual Wing Ding event at the Surf Ballroom.

Culver served the U.S. House from 1965 until 1975; In 1974, Culver was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served one term.

Culver pointed to his son’s work on the I-JOBS initiative — and the 1,700 flood prevention projects aided by the program — as well as the Iowa Power Fund, the $100 million, four-year program established to help attract renewable energy programs.

“He wants to make this the Silicon Valley of the Midwest — and that may happen,” Culver said. “That’s a lot to do in a short time — that’s leadership,” he said.

Partisanship and political back-biting have clouded the issues that people need to hear about, he said.

“The campaign should be about the future of Iowa, to talk about ways to ensure a better future of our state.”

Nationally, the same problems exist, he said.