2016
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Next Steps For The Iowa Democratic Party
Guest Post from Derek Eadon. All potential IDP chair candidates are welcome to submit op-eds on their plans. The shock of Election Day has finally worn off. I wish I could say I was surprised at the results, but unfortunately that was not the case. The shock came from the worst-case scenario being realized. Donald Trump was President.…
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Why Democrats Didn’t Show Up To Vote, Again
Democrats are searching for the answers as to why they lost the 2016 election. It’s really pretty simple. Nationally, Democratic voters didn’t show up. Clinton attempted to reassemble the Obama coalition that elected him in 2008 and 2012. Unfortunately, 5 million of those 2012 Obama voters either didn’t vote, or voted for third party candidates…
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What’s Next: Incorporating Long-Shot Candidates In The Larger Effort
Every cycle in Iowa, hundreds of Democrats are on the ballot. Some run in safe districts where registered Democrats easily outnumber Republicans. Some run in swing districts where both parties compete heavily and either side can win. And then there’s the brave souls who run in deep-red districts where they have no realistic shot of…
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What’s Next: Iowa County Democratic Elected Officials Association
Guest Post from John Murphy, Dubuque County Recorder Given the elections results, Democrats across Iowa are asking “what’s next.” I want to provide my take as a county elected official who believes that a little structure and support of county office holders can help identify strong candidates moving forward. I have a long term approach…
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Civil Disobedience Or Armed Revolt? Depends On Who You Are
A jury verdict in Portland, Ore., a few weeks ago was all but obscured in the news by the presidential campaign. That’s unfortunate, because the verdict falls into the same “oh, you’ve got to be kidding” category as the acquittal of O.J. Simpson on murder charges in 1995. The Oregon jurors found brothers Ammon and…
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Trump Was The Right-Wing Radio Candidate. Here’s What To Do About It.
When I run errands in the afternoon, I frequently turn to WHO to hear right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh. It’s my way of understanding the conservative id. You must know your opponent. That’s why Donald Trump’s rise wasn’t such a shock for me. Trump was the right-wing radio candidate. He and Limbaugh (and Sean Hannity…
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Where You Can Help Next: Jim Lykam’s Senate Special Election
Democrats in Scott County gathered Thursday night to select their nominee to run in the special election for Senate District 45. State Representative Jim Lykam won the vote after his two potential opponents, including fellow Representative Cindy Winckler, declined to run. Senator Joe Seng passed away in September, leaving the Davenport-based seat open. Since it was…
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What’s Next: Time For A New Generation Of Iowa Democrats To Step Up
Where do we go from here? That’s the question on every Iowa Democrat’s mind following last Tuesday’s election results. There’s no need to rehash how bad it was. We already know. And we know it will take a massive amount of work to fight our way back. But how? Obviously, things must change. What we’re…
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The Iowa Caucus Emerges From 2016 In A Strong Position
A lot of American institutions came out worse for the ware from the volatile 2016 presidential election. Except for one: the Iowa Caucus. The always-at-risk lead-off contest will come out of this year in a much stronger situation than previously thought. A Donald Trump presidency and a Democratic Party in turmoil makes it considerably more…
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Democrats Still Won A Mandate In The Popular Vote
I know we just suffered a humbling defeat. However, as Democrats digest the ugly election results they should be celebrating the popular vote total. Even though Hillary Clinton lost the election based on the electoral college, she won the national popular vote total. As of Wednesday afternoon Clinton is leading with 47.6% and Trump has…
