Key Community Leaders Endorse Cindy Axne In IA-03 Race

By Pat Rynard

January 5, 2018

As the Democratic primary for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District heats up, more candidates are rolling out new lists of endorsements in the seven-way field. Cindy Axne, a small business owner and community activist, announced this week the backing of over 40 community leaders in her bid to take on Republican incumbent David Young in the Des Moines-based district.

“I’m humbled to release a diverse list of personal endorsements from individuals who are making a difference in Iowans’ lives,” Axne said in a statement. “Our campaign is focused on the issues that matter most to Iowa families, like our healthcare system, environment and bringing good jobs back to Iowa.”

Quite a few well-known Democratic and local names show up on Axne’s list, including Raygun’s Mike Draper, NAMI’s Peggy Huppert, Johnston City Councilwoman Rhonda Martin, Kerry Bowen, Chief Deputy Attorney General Eric Tabor and Dallas County Democrats Chair Art Behn.

Axne also has a long history of activism in West Des Moines, once leading an effort to expand pre-kindergarten to all children in the Des Moines suburb. That seems to have help brought the backing of many notable West Des Moines leaders, including recently-elected Councilwoman Renee Hardman, Loretta Sieman, former school superintendent Tom Narak and Alicia Claypool. The Democratic-trending suburb should contribute a large share of the vote in the 3rd District primary, so having a strong base of support from local leaders should be particularly helpful.

Here’s the full list:

Eric Tabor, Chief Deputy Attorney General

Renee Hardman, City Councilwoman, West Des Moines

Dr. Robert Shaw, Board member, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland

Peggy Huppert, Executive Director, The National Alliance on Mental Illness – Iowa

Loretta Sieman, Former City Councilwoman, City of West Des Moines

Donna Crum, Chair, Mills County Democrats

Ralph Rosenberg, Former State Senator, State House Representative, and Former Executive Director, Iowa Environmental Council

Reyma McCoy McDeid, Chair Grey Area Democrats

Louis Lavorato, Former Justice, Iowa Supreme Court

Dale Cochran, Former Secretary of Agriculture, Iowa

China Wong, 2017 Woman Business Owner of the Year – Salon W

Rhonda Martin, City Councilwoman, City of Johnston

Alicia Claypool, Former Chairperson, Iowa Civil Rights Commission and Co-Founder of Iowa Safe Schools

Patricia Higby, Board Member, Iowa Wind Energy Association

Mary LaHay, President, Iowa Friends of Companion Animals

Doctor Mary Mincer Hansen, Former Director, Iowa Department of Public Health

Mike Draper, Business Owner, RayGun

Jackie Wellman, Community Activist, West Des Moines

Mike Matson, Alderman, City of Davenport

Tom Narak, Retired Superintendent, West Des Moines Public School System

Rachel Scott, Former Administrator, Iowa Commission on the Status of Women

Kerry Bowen, Chair, Windsor Heights Democrats

Roz Lehman, Former Director, Iowa Rivers Revival

Marcia Wanamaker, 3rd Vice Chair, Dallas County Democrats

Ruth Thompson, Vice-Chair, Iowa Democratic Party Disability Caucus

Julie and Alan Feirer, Community Activists, Madison County

Lynn Graves, Founding Member of the United Way of Central Iowa Women’s Leadership Initiative

Art Behn, Treasurer, Dallas County Democrats

Devin Kelly, Chair, Iowa Democratic Party Stonewall Caucus

Doctor Yogesh Shah, Director, Palliative Care Services at Broadlawns Medical Center

Susan Webster, Community Activist and Precinct Captain, Des Moines

Joleen Jansen, District Program Coordinator, Clayton County Clean Energy

Dylan Funk, Vice-Chair, Iowa Democratic Party Progressive Caucus

Dian Curran, Vice-Chair, Iowa Democratic Party Native American Caucus

Kathy Collins, Former Attorney for Iowa Department of Education and School Administrators of Iowa

Paul Danforth, Clinical Social Worker and Community Leader

Cornelia Mutel, Ecologist, and Environmental Author

Vickee Adams, Former Chair, Dallas County Democrats

Rebecca Boyd Dublinske, Board Member, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland

Alice Hodde, Treasurer Fremont County Democrats

Patricia Boddy, Former Deputy Director at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Timothy Kacena, Iowa House of Representative District 14

 

by Pat Rynard
Posted 1/5/18

  • Pat Rynard

    Pat Rynard founded Iowa Starting Line in 2015. He is now Courier Newsroom's National Political Editor, where he oversees political reporters across the country. He still keeps a close eye on Iowa politics, his dog's name is Frank, and football season is his favorite time of year.

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