3rd District Congressional candidate Desmund Adams gathered friends, family and local activists at a Des Moines hotel on the morning of Christmas Eve to announce a long list of new endorsements for his campaign. Former Lt. Governor Jo Ann Zimmerman came on board as his campaign chair, along with a number of prominent central Iowans as co-chairs to provide advice and assistance.
“I found [Adams] was a candidate who knew how to work very, very hard,” said Zimmerman in her introduction of Adams. “Solid family, good background for running. This 3rd Congressional District is a purple district. It will take someone who knows how to run, run hard, meet people and serve well. And Desmund can do that.”
Adams stressed that he’s put together a broad and diverse coalition to win the Democratic primary, with people from both rural and urban areas from many demographic backgrounds.
“In 2008 there was a little-known Senator that had the good fortune to change the political landscape in this country forever,” Adams said. “And the way that was achieved was to bring a broad coalition of supporters together from all sides to bridge divisions to move us forward … We can beat David Young, but it’s going to take every single person in this room and beyond to achieve that.”
Adams noted that he’d soon roll out a “People’s First Agenda” in 2016 to detail his various policy positions that would benefit the 3rd District.
Here is the list of endorsements the Adams campaign announced today:
Campaign Chair
- Jo Ann Zimmerman – Fmr. Lieutent Governor
Campaign Co-Chairs
- Louis Lavorato – Fmr. Chief Justice, Iowa Supreme Court
- Fred Buie – Fmr. Chair, Iowa Association Business & Industry
- Andrea Rivera – Retired, International Representative for United Auto Workers (UAW)
- Joe Henry – President, League of United Latin American (LULAC)
Key Campaign Endorsers
- Mary Campos – Co Founder Brown & Black Forum
- Mark Cooper – Union Leader
- Rep. Ako Abdul Samad – Iowa House Assistant Minority Leader/Chair IDP Black Caucus
- Max Knauer – Community Activist
- Wayne Ford – Fmr. IA State Representative/Co Founder Brown & Black Forum
- Art Behn – Chair, Dallas County Democrats
- Sherry Toelle – Chair, Cass County Democrats
- Jack Hatch, Fmr. Democratic Gubernatorial Nominee/Fmr. Iowa State Senator
- Ed Fallon – Fmr. State Representative
- Heather Ryan – Chair, East Side Democrats
- Mitch Henry – Community Activist
- Julie Stewart – President, Senate 10 Democrats/ State Central Committee Member
- Joyce Schulte – Fmr. U.S. Congressional Candidate – District 4
- Michael Libbie – Business Leader
- Pastor Bobby Young – Fmr. President, Ministerial Alliance
- Pastor Billy Young – President, Ministerial Alliance
- Linda Carter Lewis – Fmr. President, NAACP
- Beau Fodor – LGBT Community Activist
- Josh Hughes – I-35 School Board Member
- Felix Gallagher – Business Leader
- Mary Chapman
- Marvin Dejear
- Betty Andrews – President, Betty Andrews Media
- Mary Madison
- Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines – Iowa State Representative
- Skip Moore – Des Moines City Council
- Pastor R.L. Daye
- Arnold Woods – Community Leader
by Pat Rynard
Posted 12/24/15
