2016 Presidential Campaign Blog

Carson, Fiorina, and Jindal Confirmed for FreedomWorks’ Rising Tide Summit in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on December 5, 2015

Carson, Fiorina, and Jindal Confirmed for FreedomWorks’ Rising Tide Summit in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on December 5, 2015

Three Republican presidential hopefuls – Dr. Ben Carson, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, and Gov. Bobby Jindal – have confirmed their attendance at the Rising Tide Summit in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday, December 5. The Rising Tide Summit is a joint event hosted by FreedomWorks and Congressman Rod Blum (R-IA-1). All Republican presidential candidates have been invited to attend.

FreedomWorks Senior Economic Contributor Stephen Moore commented:

“After years of President Obama’s failed domestic policies, Americans are starving for a meaningful pro-growth agenda that promotes the middle class and reins in the out of control bureaucracy in Washington, DC. We’re excited that Dr. Carson, Governor Jindal, and Ms. Fiorina are coming to the Rising Tide Summit, and our grassroots community looks forward to hearing how they plan to put America on the path to 4 percent economic growth.”

FreedomWorks CEO Adam Brandon added:

“Carson, Jindal, and Fiorina each bring an important message to the Republican presidential race. We’re looking forward to hearing what they have to say as the grassroots vets this field of candidates. America deserves a national conversation on how to revitalize the economy.”

Iowa Volunteers to Host #DebateWithBernie Watch Parties Across Hawkeye State

Iowa Volunteers to Host #DebateWithBernie Watch Parties Across Hawkeye State
 
DES MOINES, Iowa - Highlighting the grassroots energy of their broad volunteer network in Iowa, the Bernie Sanders campaign announced 79 #DebateWithBernie Watch Parties on Tuesday, spanning 57 of the state’s 99 counties.

“No matter what corner of Iowa folks find themselves, there’s a Bernie debate watch event nearby,” said Lilia Chacón, spokeswoman for Bernie 2016 in Iowa. “From Sioux City to Des Moines to Davenport, our incredible volunteers and supporters are coming together to watch Bernie take his record and message about combating climate change and ending income inequality by taking on Wall Street and the billionaire class to the national stage.”

The first Democratic debate, hosted by CNN, is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm CT, Tuesday, October 13th.

Below are a few of the 79 #DebateWithBernie watch parties throughout Iowa.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

6 p.m. Marion #DebateWithBernie Watch Party, MJ’s Restaurant, 1107 7th Avenue, Marion
Watch parties are open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged.
7 p.m. Iowa City #DebateWithBernie Watch Party, Mosley's, 525 South Gilbert Street, Iowa City
Watch parties are open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged.
7 p.m. Council Bluffs #DebateWithBernie Watch Party, Dixie Quick’s, 157 West Broadway, Council Bluffs
Watch parties are open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged.
7 p.m. Fairfield #DebateWithBernie Watch Party, Fairfield Public Library, meeting room, 104 West Adams Avenue, Fairfield
Watch parties are open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged.
7:30 p.m. Dubuque #DebateWithBernie Watch Party, Manna Java World Cafe, 700 Locust Street, Dubuque
Watch parties are open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged.
7:30 p.m. Des Moines #DebateWithBernie Watch Party, Tonic Bar, 210 Court Avenue, Des Moines
Watch parties are open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged.

Urbandale, Iowa Democrats to Host Presidential Debate Watch Party on Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Urbandale Democrats to Host Presidential Debate Watch Party
 
DES MOINES – The Urbandale Democrats will host a Debate Watch Party TOMORROW October 13, as Democratic presidential candidates take the stage in Nevada for the first Democratic Presidential Debate. Iowa Democrats will come together to watch our Democratic candidates talk about strengthening the middle class and moving our country forward.

• WHAT: Democratic Presidential Debate Watch Party
• WHERE: Isla of Cozumel Restaurant, 2743 86th St, Urbandale, IA 50322
• WHEN: Tuesday, October 13, at 7pm

Tell It Like It Is Town Hall Meeting with Chris Christie in Newton, Iowa on Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Tell It Like It Is Town Hall Meeting with Chris Christie in Newton, Iowa on Wednesday, October 21, 2015

When:
Wednesday, October 21, 2015 from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM (CDT)

Where:
Raceway Cafe
2331 1st Ave E
Newton, IA 50208

Hosted By:
Chris Christie for President, Inc.

Register for this event now at :
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/tell-it-like-it-is-town-hall-meeting-with-chris-christie-tickets-19031081477

Event Details:

Town Hall Meeting in Newton

DATE: Wednesday, October 21, 2015
TIME: 1:30 PM  *Doors open at 12:30 PM , town hall meeting starts at 1:30 PM
LOCATION: Raceway Cafe, 2331 1st Ave E, Newton, IA 50208

Mike Huckabee to Campaign in Iowa on October 13-15, 2015

Mike Huckabee to Campaign in Iowa on October 13-15, 2015

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- Former Arkansas Governor and 2016 GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will campaign across Iowa Tues., Wed. & Thurs., Oct.13-15. The following are details of his events:
 
Tues., Oct. 13, 2015
EVENT: Gov. Huckabee to address The Jerusalem Call   
TIME: 7:00-8:00 p.m. CT
LOCATION: Grace Fellowship Church
ADDRESS: 3980 Poweshiek Street SE, Iowa City, Iowa
 
Wed., Oct. 14, 2015
EVENT: Gov. Huckabee to address the Westside Conservative Club Breakfast
TIME: 7:15 - 8:15 a.m. CT
LOCATION: Machine Shed Restaurant
ADDRESS: 11151 Hickman Rd, Urbandale, Iowa

EVENT: Huckabee Huddle - The Huck Stops Here
TIME: 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. CT
LOCATION: Pizza Ranch
ADDRESS: 1791 Venture Dr, Ottumwa, Iowa
 
EVENT: Huckabee Roundtable with Business & County Leaders
TIME: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. CT
LOCATION: Mike & Nikki's Pizza and Steakhouse
ADDRESS: 1401 S. Main St., Fairfield, Iowa

EVENT: Gov. Huckabee Infrastructure Bridge Tour
TIME: 4:30 - 5:20 p.m. CT
LOCATION: Douds/Leando Bridge
ADDRESS: Highway 98, Douds, Iowa

EVENT: Huckabee Huddle - The Huck Stops Here
TIME: 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. CT
LOCATION: Douds Community Center
ADDRES: 14159 Highway 98, Douds, Iowa

Thurs., Oct 15, 2015
EVENT: Huckabee Huddle - The Huck Stops Here
TIME: 7:45 - 9:15 a.m. CT
LOCATION: The Bistro Cafe
ADDRESS: 622 7th St, Fort Madison, Iowa
 
EVENT: Huckabee Huddle - The Huck Stops Here
TIME: 10:15 - 11:30 a.m. CT
LOCATION: Miss K's Homemade Delectables  
ADDRESS: 101 West Main St., Mount Pleasant, Iowa

EVENT: Huckabee Huddle and Farm Tour
TIME: 1:45 - 3:15 p.m. CT
LOCATION: Cinnamon Ridge Farms
ADDRESS: 10600 275th Street, Donahue, Iowa

Carly Fiorina Visits Iowa on October 15-17, 2015

Carly Fiorina Visits Iowa on October 15-17, 2015

Thursday, October 15th
 
9:30 - 10 AM CT
On Camera Interview with Spirit Lake High School Student, Jacob Vos, "SLHS Newsbreak"
Spirit Lake High School
Journalism Studio (in the north building on Hill Avenue)
2701 Hill Ave.
Spirit Lake, IA

10:30 - 11:30 AM CT
Clay County, IA Town Hall Meeting
4H Auditorium
Clay County Fair Grounds
Spencer, IA

6:30 - 7:30 PM CT
Polk County GOP Women's Chili Cook-off
Windsor Heights Community Center
6900 School Street
Windsor Heights, IA
 
Friday, October 16th

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM CT
Pre-Taped TV Interview with Iowa Public Television's "Iowa Press"
IPTV Studio
6450 Corporate Dr.
Johnston, IA

1:00 - 2:30 PM CT
Pleasant Hill Meet and Greet hosted by Mayor Sara Kurovski and former Mayor Mike Richardson
Richardson Residence
4865 Copper Creek Drive
Pleasant Hill, IA

5:30 - 7:15 PM CT
Grinnell Town Hall
Grinnell High School Auditorium
1333 Sunset Street
Grinnell, IA
 
Saturday, October 17th
 
8:45 - 10:30 AM CT   
Linn County GOP Reagan Day Breakfast
Kirkwood College
7725 Kirkwood Boulevard SW
Cedar Rapids, IA

12:00 - 1:15 PM CT
Waterloo Town Hall
Waterloo Center for the Arts
225 Commercial Stree
Waterloo, IA

5:30 - 7:00 PM CT
Event for Iowa State Rep. Lee Hein
Youth Development Center
Great Jones County Fairground
700 N Maple Street
Monticello, IA

Bernie Sanders Returns to Iowa on October 18-19, 2015

Bernie Sanders Returns to Iowa on October 18-19, 2015

BURLINGTON, Vt. – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on October 18 kicks off a two-day swing through Iowa. The Democratic Party presidential candidate will make stops in Iowa City, Fort Madison and Oskaloosa.

Sanders will discuss a wide range of issues including income and wealth inequality and the disappearing middle class, immigration reform, getting big money out of politics, criminal justice reform, and his college affordability plan.

Here is the itinerary:

Sunday, October 18, 2015

1:30 p.m. Iowa City House Party, Iowa City
Information for the public: This event is invite-only.

3:30 p.m. Johnson County Democrats BBQ Fundraiser, Johnson County Fairgrounds, Building B, 4261 Oak Crest Hill Rd SE, Iowa City
Information for the public: Doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets are required,

7 p.m. Fort Madison Town Meeting, Richardson Elementary School, 3301 Avenue L, Fort Madison
Information for the public: Doors open at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Admission is first come, first served. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is strongly encouraged.

Monday, October 19
11 a.m. Oskaloosa Town Meeting, William Penn University, Musco Technology Center (MTC), Oskaloosa
Information for the public: Doors open at 10 a.m. The event is free and open to the public. Admission is first come, first served. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is strongly encouraged.

Katy Perry to Rally Clinton Supporters Before Iowa JJ Dinner on October 24, 2015

Katy Perry to Rally Clinton Supporters Before Iowa JJ Dinner on October 24, 2015

On Saturday, October 24, Katy Perry will rally Hillary Clinton supporters in Des Moines before the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner. The event is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP at http://hrc.io/KatyPerryDSM.

Additional event information will be released in the coming days.

Iowa Caucuses Continue to Earn their ‘First-in-the-Nation' Status

Iowa caucuses continue to earn their ‘first-in-the-nation' status
Cedar Rapids Gazette | Jeff Kaufmann & Andy McGuire, guest columnists

As the chairs of the Republican Party of Iowa and the Iowa Democratic Party, respectively, there is not much that we agree on.

But when it comes to the Iowa caucuses, we stand united. Every four years, we hear the same old refrain from caucus detractors seeking to undermine our role in the presidential nominating process. As many people are aware, the topic was broached just last week. But our response to these calls remains the same: Iowans will join together and prove to the country why we deserve to be first.

We’ve earned our first-in-the-nation status for nearly 50 years, and we’ll earn it again, because:

1. The Iowa caucuses are one of the nation’s great democratic traditions. Every four years, presidential candidates come to Iowa first to make their case directly to Iowans as to why he or she is the best person to be our next president. The caucuses represent grass-roots politics at its finest. Iowans don’t put a premium on name ID or fundraising numbers — we put a premium on ideas. We meet with presidential candidates all over Iowa — multiple times even — at coffee shops, football games, backyards and more to talk about the future of our nation. We take the time to learn about each candidate’s background, study their policy proposals and ask spirited questions in order to vet each candidate thoroughly. In an age of elections too often dominated by big money and flashy TV ads, the Iowa caucuses serve as a unique antidote.

2. We take this job seriously. The hard work that Iowans put in during the caucus process is recognized across the aisle. Iowa prides itself on taking a candidate’s full measure on policy. Candidates tell us every day how much they enjoy coming to Iowa and appreciate the thoughtful questions asked of them. Iowans’ passion and commitment have cemented our place as the first-in-the-nation caucus state, and made us the place presidential candidates go to prove their viability on a national stage.

3. We’ve never stopped innovating and improving. As Iowa State party chairs, it is our job to ensure we run exciting, organized and quality caucuses on Feb. 1. That means we are constantly looking for ways to improve upon old processes, while maintaining what makes the caucuses so special.

The Iowa Democratic Party and the Republican Party of Iowa teamed up with Microsoft on a new reporting app for the Iowa caucuses that will enable results to be delivered quickly, securely and accurately. The new app, powered by Microsoft technology, is a major upgrade over previous reporting systems. In 2016, Iowa will be on the forefront of election technology, leading the nation in how election results are collected and tabulated.

Our joint partnership with Microsoft is just one example of how we are pushing to improve the caucus process. You can count on us to lead the way in preserving our first-in-the-nation status, working hand-in-hand as we fight to make the caucuses as innovative and inclusive as possible. We will do our part, and we know the hundreds of thousands of Iowans who caucus on Feb. 1 will continue to do theirs. We all look forward to showing the nation again in 2016 why Iowa is first in the nation.

• Jeff Kaufmann is chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa. Andy McGuire is chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party.

Hillary for Iowa Supporters to Host More than 100 Debate Watch Parties on Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Hillary for Iowa Supporters to Host More than 100 Debate Watch Parties on Tuesday, October 13, 2015

On Tuesday, October 13, Hillary for Iowa supporters will host more than 100 watch parties across the Hawkeye state for the first Democratic Presidential debate. Grassroots supporters will come together to watch Hillary Clinton lay out her plan for stronger, fairer economic growth and share why she is the candidate who won’t let the Republicans put wealthy special interests ahead of everyday Americans who deserve to get ahead and stay ahead.

Republicans want to take America backwards on all the issues that are important to Iowans and Hillary for Iowa supporters will be cheering Hillary Clinton as she shows voters why she is the fighter we need in the White House to get results.

Ankeny
Home of Andrea Phillips
2510 NE 12th Ct

Ankeny
Home of Lara Netolicky
1026 Irvinedale Drive

Bettendorf
Home of Eileen Williams Jackson
3923 53rd Avenue

Blencoe
Home of Jane Daniel
26524 290th Street

Burlington
Home of Don and Chris Harter
1018 Monticello Drive

Carroll
Hillary for Iowa Organizing Office
223 West 6th Street

Cedar Rapids with Attorney General Tom Miller
Hillary for Iowa Organizing Office
1420 1st Avenue NE

Coralville
Home of Cindy Riley
470 1st Avenue

Creston
Hillary for Iow Organizing Office
215 W Adams Street

Des Moines
Home of Sean Bagniewski
4005 Forest Avenue

Iowa City with State Representative Mary Mascher
Home of Cassidy Shubatt
25 South Madison Street

Mason City with State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald
Home of Dean Genth
145 Pebble Creek Drive

Newton
Home of Patty Thoma
2403 E 5th Avenue N

West Des Moines
Home of Claire Celsi
4400 EP True Parkway Unit 52

West Des Moines
Home of Jackie Wellman
3012 Elm Street

West Des Moines
Home of Patti Gliniecki
126 61st Street