Photo by Julie Fleming
Senator Bernie Sanders is unveiling his first slate of key endorsements from Iowa progressive leaders today. Among them are some local elected officials and party leaders who were first mobilized to activism from Sanders’ previous presidential run, including LULAC State Director Nick Salazar, Dubuque City Councilwoman Kate Larson, and IDP Central Committee Member Emma Schmit.
“This incredible group of endorsers are some of the most well-known progressive voices that Iowa has to offer,” Misty Rebik, Sanders’ state director, said in a statement. “Together with our 25,000-strong volunteer base in the state, these progressive Iowans will help us build on our grassroots movement and win on caucus night.”
The other early backers on Sanders’ list are Lone Tree Mayor Jonathan Green, former State Senator Beverly Hannon, Waterloo City Councilman Patrick Morrissey, Polk County Democrats Membership Committee Chair Chris Morse, Poweshiek County Supervisor Jason Roudabush, and Fairfield School Board Member Kelly Scott.
“Since the summer of 2015, I have been a strong supporter of Bernie Sanders,” said Morse, who also sought party leadership positions after Sanders’ 2016 run. “His consistent call for us to be involved in our democracy is exactly what our country needs. His leadership inspires me to do everything I can to empower others to be active in their communities and the Democratic party.”
Very few Iowa elected officials or party leaders endorsed Sanders in his 2016 caucus run, though some Sanders supporters might describe that as a feature, not a bug of that campaign. This time around, he starts with the largest built-in volunteer base of the field by far, and many of his best activists from that time have since expanded their own local, personal networks in politics since.
Sanders has also steadily increased his Iowa campaign operation, reuniting top staffers from his previous bid, while also hiring from the ranks of other recent progressive Iowa campaigns.
“One of the many reasons I support Bernie Sanders is that he is and has been steadfast on the issues he champions,” said Hannon, who once chaired the Iowa Senate’s Human Resources committee. “I am impressed that he declines big contributions from industry or special interest groups, which many presidential candidates accept, and instead depends primarily on ordinary people to contribute. Bernie is not afraid to stand in a protest line for better wages for workers.”
[inline-ad id=”0″]
Sanders will join most of the rest of the Democratic field in Iowa this weekend for the party’s Hall of Fame Dinner in Cedar Rapids and the Pride Fest in Des Moines. He plans on marching with McDonald’s workers fighting for a $15/hour minimum wage and a union on Sunday.
by Pat Rynard
Photo by Julie Fleming
Posted 6/6/19
Original, heels or boots: Pritzker says leading Republicans are all MAGA
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said all three leading candidates in the Iowa GOP caucus—Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, and Ron DeSantis—represent the same...
Trump tells supporters it is worth dying to caucus for him
Former President Donald Trump continues to encourage his massive base to turn out in droves for him during Monday’s Republican caucus and told an...
Climate change protesters disrupt Ron DeSantis event
Climate protesters disrupted a Gov. Ron DeSantis campaign event in Ames on Thursday night. Three protesters were escorted out of the room at...
Evangelical leaders predict huge caucus turnout, downplay endorsements
Iowa caucus candidates have racked up big-name endorsements—including a notable last-minute flip flop—but one evangelical leader said none of that...
We went to Vivek Ramaswamy’s ‘Vektoberfest.’ Here’s what we saw
As I sat on a park bench eating a bacon-grilled cheese sandwich, drinking an Exile Ruthie straight from the tap, and chit-chatting with a few folks,...
Tim Scott says kids need more exposure to conservatism
While many Republicans across the country have spent the last few years arguing that public schools are being used to indoctrinate kids into leftist...
