After Big Iowa Trip, Buttigieg Secures New Local Endorsements

After another campaign swing through Iowa that saw large crowds turn out for Pete Buttigieg, the South Bend Mayor announced a new set of endorsements from 20 Democratic and community leaders from across the state.

Nine local elected officials, along with another four former elected officials, added their names to Buttigieg’s campaign. Those included Gary Vick, Mayor of Raymond; Andrew Wenthe, Mayor of Fayette and former state representative; and Mitch Gross, Mayor Pro Tem of Coralville.

Gross introduced Buttigieg to a boisterous room of over 2,000 people in Coralville, a statement-setting event that capped off Buttigieg’s three-day Iowa trip.

In all, Buttigieg spoke before over 5,000 people at his own events these past several days in Grinnell, Mt. Vernon, Davenport, Washington and Coralville, along with several hundred more at multi-candidate forums in Waterloo, Grinnell and Cedar Rapids. Just under 400 came out to see him in Washington, a town of about 7,300 people in a rural, conservative county, which local Democrats said was the largest turnout since Barack Obama visited in 2007.

Also part of the new endorsements is Suzanna de Baca, a recent president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, and a key leader in women’s rights networks in Iowa.

“I have become convinced that America needs a new generation of leadership and Mayor Pete has become my choice due to his pragmatic and informed policy perspectives, his service in the military, his hands-on experience in local Midwestern politics and his commitment to diversity,” de Baca said. “Additionally, as former CEO of a Planned Parenthood affiliate, I am deeply impressed by his agenda on women’s rights, one of the most comprehensive plans focused on women so far in the Democratic primary.”

Among other new Buttigieg backers is Urbandale city councilmember-elect Matt Blake. Several other newly-elected municipal Democrats from last month’s races backed Cory Booker. Buttigieg also picked up the support of Ross Hadley, Decorah City Council Member; Rich Clewell, Davenport City Council Member; Jill Shudak, Council Bluffs School Board Member and Vice Chair of Pottawattamie County Democrats; Katie Koehler, Mason City School Board Member; and Donna Kreamer, Indianola School Board Member.

“I think Mayor Pete provides a path to unify the country when elected in 2020,” said Shudak. “He listens to people out in the country and has crafted policy plans like his K-12 plan, that speak to me and show how each plan is going to be paid for.”

As with most of Buttigieg’s endorsement rollouts, this one included several faith leaders. The Mayor often weaves in stories of faith into his stump speech. A trio of reverends endorsed this time around: Reverend David Borger Germann, Johnson County; Reverend Bill Ekhardt, Polk County; and Reverend Beth Harbaugh, Jefferson County.

All the new support comes as Buttigieg shows no signs of slowing down in the Iowa Caucus, where he’s pulled into a lead in recent polling. It’s also led to increased scrutiny from the press and online activist crowd, but so far the issues he’s been pressed on don’t seem to be impacting his appeal in Iowa.

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The full list of new endorsers are:

Gary Vick, Mayor of Raymond
Andrew Wenthe, Mayor of Fayette and former Iowa State Representative
Mitch Gross, Mayor Pro Tem of Coralville
Sandra Johnson, former Mayor of Washington
John Wittneben, former Iowa State Representative, Emmet County
Paul Scherrman, former Iowa State Representative, Dubuque County
Ross Hadley, Decorah City Council Member
Matt Blake, Urbandale City Council Member-elect
Rich Clewell, Davenport City Council Member
Jill Shudak, Council Bluffs School Board Member and Vice Chair of Pottawattamie County Democrats
Katie Koehler, Mason City School Board Member
Donna Kreamer, Indianola School Board Member
Kathy Barr, former President of Clarke Community School Board
The Reverend David Borger Germann, Johnson County
The Reverend Bill Ekhardt, Polk County
The Reverend Beth Harbaugh, Jefferson County
Kate Casaletto, gun safety activist, Johnson County
Kevin Drahos, gun safety activist, Linn County
Jerry Hageman, labor activist, Black Hawk County
Suzanna de Baca, former President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland

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by Pat Rynard
Posted 12/9/19