On the national political scene, all the talk is about the Republican Party’s chances for winning big in November. The same thing could happen in Iowa, but within that story lies another one that seems significant.

Former Gov. Terry Branstad isn’t the only Iowa Republican attempting a career comeback. In the north central part of the state, former state legislator Stewart Iverson is running for a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives; he left the Iowa Senate four years ago. To the southeast, Sandy Greiner is running for the Iowa Senate just two years after departing from the Legislature.

Maybe all three of these candidates are simply examples of people who left a way of life, realized just how much it meant to them, and decided to look for a way back in. That happens to people in all kinds of careers.

But as we said before regarding Branstad, the Republican Party should be producing new leaders. It should be finding strong candidates with much to offer, grooming them and presenting them to the voters as a fresh approach.

Of course, former office holders should share their experience and knowledge. We shouldn’t cast people aside and ignore them. But progress requires access for the next generation of leaders.

Branstad’s record of ideas and leadership isn’t all that impressive. Iverson blames “fiscal mismanagement” for the hard times that arrived after he left office, but let’s not forget the global economic meltdown.

Greiner was quoted as saying, as she departed, that she never judged her legislative accomplishments by the number of bills she got passed, but rather by the number of bills she was able to stop.

All three of these candidates might return to office, and we’re sure they will do their utmost to serve Iowa. But their pitches don’t strike us as inspirational leadership. They seem to offer voters the comfort of the familiar.

Iowa has relied on the familiar for too long.