IA-03: Buttigieg Rallies Support For Axne With Virtual ’50 Days’ Rally

Pete Buttigieg virtually rallied support for 3rd District Congresswoman Cindy Axne on Tuesday by imploring the more than 200 attendees to embrace the COVID-friendly campaign tactics Democrats are using to safely connect with voters amid the pandemic.

“Yeah, it’s different, and yeah I wish we were all in a room together and I can’t wait until we are again,” Buttigieg said on Zoom. “But you have proven, by figuring out how to gather virtually, take those sign-ups, reach out to voters — which is the fundamental job of anybody supporting a candidate at a time like this — and we’re just going to do it in a new way.”

Rather than hold in-person events or send volunteers out to knock doors, the Axne campaign and Democratic campaigns across the country are using phone calls and text messaging to reach voters. According to the Axne campaign, since the June 2 primary, volunteers have made 170,000 calls, sent 104,000 texts and completed 1,200 volunteer shifts.

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“I just want to encourage you in that work and I want to thank you for that work, because I know you have been tireless,” Buttigieg said. “This has been the kind of year that just — it’s like the year itself has been punching us in the face everyday.

“But again,” he said, “we’re coming up to that moment where we get to write a different ending, a better ending, to the story of what happened in America in 2020. And for the rest of our lives, we’ll be able to say that we were doing what it took to make sure that this year came to a good ending and that this decade was in for a new beginning.”

With less than two months until Election Day, and 20 days until absentee ballots are sent to Iowans on Oct. 5, Axne reminded her supporters of the stakes not just in her race against David Young, but for Democrats in Congress and the White House.

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“My race is one of the eight most crucial races in the nation,” Axne said. “And folks, it’s because not only can I protect our House majority by staying in this seat, but with your help we can influence voters coming to the polls to support me, and they’ll most likely support other Democrats — Theresa Greenfield for Senate and Joe Biden for the presidency. So your work is a trifecta. When I am one of the most important races in the nation, the impact that we can have is huge.”

By Elizabeth Meyer
Posted 9/15/20

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