2020 Presidential Campaign Blog

Trump Campaign Announces Surrogate Locations for Iowa Caucuses

Trump Campaign Announces Surrogate Locations for Iowa Caucuses Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. today announced the locations for the more than 80 surrogates that will campaign on behalf of President Trump at caucus sites across the state of Iowa on Monday, February 3, 2020.  Donald Trump Jr. City Church of Ames 2400 Oakwood Rd., Ames, IA 50014 Eric Trump Lakewood Elementary School 9210 Happy Hollow Dr., Norwalk, IA 50211 Lara Trump, Trump 2020 Campaign Senior Advisor Northview Middle School 1302 N. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny, IA 50023 Kimberly Guilfoyle, National Chair of Trump Victory Finance Committee and Trump 2020 Campaign Senior Advisor Community Heights Alliance Church 2500 S. 13th Ave. E., Newton, IA 50208 Brad Parscale, Trump 2020 Campaign Manager Walnut Hills Elementary 4240 156th St., Urbandale, IA 50323 Governor Kim Reynolds (IA) Clarke Community Elementary School 420 E. Jefferson St., Osceola, IA 50213 The Honorable David Bernhardt Bondurant High School 1000 Grant St. N., Bondurant, IA 50035 The Honorable Wilbur Ross Carpenters Hall 1215 Court Ave., Chariton, IA 50049 The Honorable Ben Carson Heartland Presbyterian Church 14300 Hickman Rd., Clive, IA 50325 The Honorable Betsy DeVos Butcher Block Steakhouse 568 Boyson Rd. NE Ste. 100, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 The Honorable Mick Mulvaney Waukee Elementary School 850 6th St., Waukee, IA 50263 The Honorable Jovita Carranza Summit Middle School 9500 Windsor Pkwy., Johnston, IA 50131 The Honorable Brooke Rollins Central Campus 1800 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309 The Honorable Paula White West Elementary School (Cafeteria) 1400 W. Broadway St., Polk City, IA 50226 The Honorable Doug Hoelscher Trinity Lutheran Church 1629 Dewitt St., Ellsworth, IA 50075 Former Energy Secretary Rick Perry  Winterset Middle School 706 W. School St., Winterset, IA 50273 Former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker  Centerville High School 600 CHS Dr., Centerville, IA 52544 Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA)  North Ridge Elementary School (Cafeteria) 400 NW 27th St., Grimes, IA 50111 Governor Mike Parson (MO) Quality Inn and Suites 6169 Reve Ct., Fort Madison, IA 52627 Governor Pete Ricketts (NE) College View Elementary 1225 College Rd., Council Bluffs, IA 51503 Governor Doug Burgum (ND) North High School 4200 Cheyenne Blvd., Sioux City, IA 51104 Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez (FL)  Madison Elementary 950 E. University St., Pella, IA 50219 Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (TX) Grant Ragan Elementary 645 NE Dartmoor Dr., Waukee, IA 50263 Congressman Steve Scalise (LA), House Republican Whip Urbandale High School 7111 Aurora Ave., Urbandale, IA 50322 Congresswoman Liz Cheney (WY), House Republican Conference Chair Grant Elementary School 520 S. Clinton St., Albia, IA 52531 Congressman Tom Emmer (MN), NRCC Chairman Marshalltown High School – Auditorium 1602 S. 2nd Ave., Marshalltown, IA 50158 Congressman Kevin Brady (TX) Woodside Middle School (Cafeteria) 5810 NE 14th St., Des Moines, IA 50313 Congressman Jim Jordan (OH)  Maple Grove Elementary 1455 98th St., West Des Moines, IA 50266 Congressman Rodney Davis (IL) Experience Church 3800 E. Douglas Ave., Des Moines, IA 50317 Congressman Mark Meadows (NC)  Hampton-Dumont High School 601 12th Ave. NW, Hampton, IA 50441 Congressman Jason Smith (MO)  Washington Elementary School 1406 N. Grand Ave., Charles City, IA 50616 Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY)  South Central Calhoun Middle School 1000 Tonawanda St., Rockwell City, IA 50579 Congressman Don Bacon (NE) Thomas Jefferson High School 2501 W. Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA 51501 Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL)  Redeemer Presbyterian Church 5001 Hickman Rd., Des Moines, IA 50310 Congressman Greg Pence (IN)  Pleasantville Baptist Church 430 IA-92, Pleasantville, IA 50225 Former Congressman Rod Blum (IA) Eisenhower Elementary School 3170 Spring Valley Rd., Dubuque, IA 52001 State Senate President Pro Tempore Jerry Behn (IA) Madrid Elementary School 213 W. 1st St., Madrid, IA 50156 State House Speaker Pro Tempore John Willis (IA) Arrowwood Resort & Convention Center -- The “Wimbledon Room” 1405 US-71, Okoboji, IA 51355 State Sen. Jim Carlin (IA) Sgt. Bluff Community Center 903 Topaz Dr., Sergeant Bluff, IA 51054 State Sen. Tom Greene (IA) Heritage Church 1126 Locust St., Burlington, IA 52601 State Sen. Craig Johnson (IA) Independence JR/SR High School 700 20th Ave. SW, Independence, IA 50644 State Sen. Carrie Koelker (IA) Beckman High School 1325 9th St. SE, Dyersville, IA 52040 State Sen. Tim Kraayenbrink (IA) Decker Auditorium 1 Triton Cir., Fort Dodge, IA 50501 State Sen. Mark Lofgren (IA) Muscatine High School 2705 Cedar St., Muscatine, IA 52761 State Sen. Tom Shipley (IA) Corning Community Center (City Hall) 601 6th St., Corning, IA 50841 State Rep. Cecil Dolecheck (IA) Mount Ayr High School 1001 E. Columbus St., Mount Ayr, IA 50854 State Rep. Gary Carlson (IA) Muscatine High School 2705 Cedar St., Muscatine, IA 52761 State Rep. Dean Fisher (IA) Toledo Reining Center 1007 S. Prospect Dr., Toledo, IA 52342 State Rep. Tom Gerhold (IA) Atkins Legion Hall 89 Main Ave., Atkins, IA 52206 State Rep. Stan Gustafon (IA) Winterset Middle School 706 W. School St., Winterset, IA 50273 State Rep. Ashley Hinson (IA) Marion High School 675 S. 15th St., Marion, IA 52302 State Rep. Steve Holt (IA) Denison Middle School 1201 N. 16th St., Denison, IA 51442 State Rep. David Kerr (IA) Morning Sun Community Center 106 N. Main St., Morning Sun, IA 52640 State Rep. Brian Lohse (IA) Bondurant High School (Library) 1000 Grant St. N., Bondurant, IA 50035 State Rep. Dave Maxwell (IA) Deep River Legion Hall 305 Main St., Deep River, IA 52222 State Rep. Ann Meyer (IA) Decker Auditorium 1 Triton Cir., Fort Dodge, IA 50501 State Rep. Joe Mitchell (IA) Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church 309 N. Main St., Mt Pleasant, IA 52641 State Rep. Norlin Mommsen (IA) Dewitt Central High School 519 E. 11th St., DeWitt, IA 52742 State Rep. Sandy Salmon (IA) Antique Acres 7610 Waverly Rd., Cedar Falls, IA 50613 State Rep. David Sieck (IA) East Mills Elementary School 58962 380th St., Hastings, IA 51540 State Rep. Phil Thompson (IA) Clover 4H Building Greene County Fairgrounds 601 E. Lincoln Way, Jefferson, IA 50129 State Rep. Gary Worthan (IA) Trinity Lutheran Church 401 W. 2nd St., Alta, IA 51002 Todd Ricketts, Republican National Committee Finance Chairman  Valley Southwoods Freshman High School 625 S. 35th St., West Des Moines, IA 50265 Corey Lewandowski, Trump 2020 Campaign Senior Advisor and Trump 2016 Campaign Manager  Panorama Elementary 401 Panther Dr., Panora, IA 50028 Katrina Pierson, Trump 2020 Campaign Senior Advisor Carlisle Elementary (Multi-Purpose Room) 430 School St., Carlisle, IA 50047 Mercedes Schlapp, Trump 2020 Campaign Senior Advisor of Strategic Communications and Former White House Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications Nevada Baptist Church 210 W. 3rd St., Nevada, IA 50201 John Pence, Trump 2020 Campaign Senior Advisor DMACC Boone Campus Gymnasium 1125 Hancock Dr., Boone, IA 50036 Chris Carr, Trump 2020 Campaign Political Director Crestview Elementary School 8355 N. Franklin Ave., Clive, IA 50325 Tim Murtaugh, Trump 2020 Campaign Communications Director Marion High School 675 S. 15th St., Marion, IA 52302 Kayleigh McEnany, Trump 2020 Campaign National Press Secretary Brody Middle School 2501 Park Ave., Des Moines, IA 50321 Marc Lotter, Trump 2020 Campaign Director of Strategic Communications Holmes Jr. High School 505 Holmes Dr., Cedar Falls, IA 50613 David Urban, Trump 2016 Campaign Senior Advisor Polk County River Place 2309 Euclid Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310 David Bossie, Trump 2016 Deputy Campaign Manager Studebaker Elementary School  300 County Line Rd., Des Moines, IA 50320 Ken Blackwell, Former Ohio Secretary of State, Advisory Board Member of Black Voices for Trump and Pro-Life Voices for Trump Clear Lake High School 125 N. 20th St., Clear Lake, IA 50428 Ralph Reed, Chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, Advisory Board Member of Pro-Life Voices for Trump  Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church 309 N. Main St., Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641 Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America (CWA), Advisory Board member of Women for Trump and Pro-Life Voices for Trump St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church 7075 Ashworth Rd., West Des Moines, IA 50266 Nancy Schulze, Founder of the Republican Congressional Wives Speakers, Advisory Board Member of Women for Trump Vinton Middle School - Library 212 W. 15th St., Vinton, IA 52349 Jessie Jane Duff, Co-Chair of Veterans for Trump, Advisory Board Member of Women for Trump The Centre Hall 1211 4th St. SW, Waverly, IA 50677 Jerry Falwell Jr., President of Liberty University Denison Middle School 1201 N. 16th St., Denison, IA 51442 Matt Schlapp, Chairman of the American Conservative Union Veterans Memorial Hall 1104 Morningview Dr., Harlan, IA 51537 Mike Lindell, Inventor and CEO of My Pillow, Inc. Davis County Middle School 500 E. North St., Bloomfield, IA 52537

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, State Auditor Julie Blaha to Campaign for Amy Klobuchar in Iowa This Weekend

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, State Auditor Julie Blaha to Campaign for Amy Klobuchar in Iowa This Weekend

DES MOINES, IA —Just two days before the Iowa Caucuses, Governor Tim Walz, Lt. Gov Peggy Flanagan and State Auditor Julie Blaha will campaign across the Hawkeye State this weekend on Senator Klobuchar’s behalf.

On Saturday, February 1, State Auditor Julie Blaha will meet with members of AFSCME in Des Moines. Lt. Governor Flanagan will appear alongside Senator Klobuchar in Cedar Falls and Beaverdale.

On Sunday, February 2, Governor Tim Walz will hold a Get Out the Caucus Event in Decorah and will then appear with Amy in Mason City. Lt. Governor Flanagan will campaign with Senator Klobuchar in Cedar Rapids and Mason City.

Saturday, February 1

AFSCME Meeting with Minnesota State Auditor Julie Blaha -- 11:00 AM
Smokey Row
1910 Cottage Grove Ave
Des Moines, IA 50314

Cedar Falls Get Out The Caucus Event with Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan -- Doors open at 5 PM, program starts at 5:30 PM
Cedar Falls Women’s Club
304 Clay St.
Cedar Falls, IA 50613

Beaverdale Get Out The Caucus Event with Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan -- Doors open at 8 PM, program starts at 8:30 PM
West Gymnasium, Franklin Jr. High
4801 Franklin Ave
Beaverdale, IA 50310

Sunday, February 2

Decorah Get Out The Caucus Event with Gov. Tim Walz -- 11:00 AM
Pulpit Rock Brewing Company
207 College Dr
Decorah, IA 52101

Cedar Rapids Get Out The Caucus Event with Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan -- Doors open at 10:30 AM, program starts at 11 AM
The Longbranch Restaurant & Event Center
90 Twixt Town Rd.
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

Mason City GOTC Event with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan -- Doors open at 1:30 PM, program starts at 2:00 PM
Music Man Square
Reunion Hall
308 S Pennsylvania Ave
Mason City, IA 50401

Former United States Ambassador to China and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke Endorses Joe Biden for President

Former United States Ambassador to China and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke Endorses Joe Biden for President
Locke Becomes Seventh Obama-Biden Cabinet Member to Endorse Joe Biden

Today, former United States Ambassador to China and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke released the following statement endorsing Joe Biden for President of the United States:

“As an Ambassador and Secretary of Commerce during the Obama-Biden Administration, I saw firsthand Joe’s leadership and ability to deliver real results on behalf of Americans. From the Affordable Care Act to signing the Paris Climate Accords — Joe Biden helped make progressa reality.

“Our current international state of affairs requires a leader with tried and tested experience in dealing with some of our most consequential issues. I cannot think of anyone better than Joe Biden to assume the role of Commander-in-chief at this critical time. I am proud to endorse him for President.”

Locke served as Governor of Washington from 1997 to 2005. He joins a list of notable former Obama-Biden cabinet members that have endorsed Joe Biden, including Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. These endorsements speak to the breadth of experience that Joe Biden will bring to the Oval Office and to the world stage.

Biden for President has previously announced more than 1,100 endorsements from national, state, and local leaders, including current and former U.S. senators and representatives, governors, state elected officials, community leaders, and national security professionals.

Seacoast Media Group Endorses Senator Amy Klobuchar for President

Seacoast Media Group Endorses Senator Amy Klobuchar

“Klobuchar is the right candidate with the right track record and temperament to begin bringing the people of our nation back together”

MANCHESTER, NH — Today, the Seacoast Media Group editorial board endorsed Senator Amy Klobuchar for the Democratic nomination for President. The Seacoast Media Group, which publishes Seacoast Online, the Portsmouth Herald, Foster’s Daily Democrat, Hampton Union, and Exeter News-Letter, cited Klobuchar’s ability to unite the country and address our most pressing issues.

The endorsement comes on the heels of endorsements from the Keene Sentinel, the New Hampshire Union Leader, the New York Times, the Quad-City Times, and the Iowa City Press-Citizen. With the Seacoast Media Group, New Hampshire Union Leader, and The Keene Sentinel endorsements, Klobuchar has the support of the editorial boards of three of the largest papers in New Hampshire.

Seacoast Media Group -- Our endorsement: Amy Klobuchar can unite America

On Feb. 10, 2019, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar stood, covered in snow, on an island in the middle of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis and announced her candidacy for president.

She chose the location carefully.

The Mississippi River runs through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, the lifeblood of America’s heartland.

“The Mississippi River, all our rivers, connect us to one another, to our shared story,” Klobuchar said. “For that is how this country was founded, with patriots who saw more that united them than divided them.”

Klobuchar launched her campaign in America’s heartland, and that is where she has charted her course in the Democratic presidential primary. Seacoast Media Group’s editorial board believes Klobuchar has set the right course in her campaign and would set the right course for our nation if elected president.

After a lengthy interview process shaped by questions from our readers, the editorial board is proud to endorse Klobuchar in New Hampshire’s Democratic Primary.

Our bipartisan editorial board is comprised of the papers’ editors and community advisers balanced among Democrats, Republicans and independents. We believe Klobuchar’s moderate positions will be attractive to right-leaning independents and disaffected Republicans looking for an alternative to President Donald Trump. This will be an advantage in the general election. America needs a healing voice with a willingness to take a bipartisan approach on major issues.

Klobuchar’s answers to our readers’ broad range of questions, coupled with her effectiveness over three terms in the U.S. Senate, give us confidence she is the best candidate to begin to unite the American people after the turbulent Trump presidency.

“If you’re tired of the noise and the nonsense and the extremes in our politics, you have a home with me,” Klobuchar said in a video call with our board on Jan. 23, the third day of President Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate.

Klobuchar doesn’t try to impress with soaring rhetoric or by insulting her rivals.

“I believe that courage isn’t just standing by yourself giving a speech,” Klobuchar said. “Courage is whether you’re willing to stand next to someone you don’t always agree with for the betterment of the country. And you can see that’s how I’ve governed. Every bill I’ve passed has been bipartisan. I have a record of working across the aisle, the highest of anyone running for president.”

While Democrats mock President Trump for whoppers like Mexico paying to build the wall, many of the Democratic presidential candidates have made similarly unrealistic promises.

Klobuchar doesn’t make promises she can’t keep.

“I am the best Democrat in the race because I come with receipts,” she said. “I just don’t have the talking points, I have the actual proof points. And for me that means the number one thing that unites our party right now is that we want to win and we want to win big, and if you want to do that, you’ve got to bring people with you. You have to bring independents and moderate Republicans.”

Klobuchar wants to take a practical approach to addressing the nation’s health care costs and coverage by improving upon the Affordable Care Act and lowering prescription drug prices.

Klobuchar is not promising “Medicare for All,” which could potentially move more than 140 million Americans from private to public health insurance, a concept that lacks unanimous Democratic support and has virtually no Republican support. Rather, Klobuchar wants to build on the strengths of the ACA, which has proven resilient under relentless Republican attacks because of its popular protections for those with preexisting conditions, for allowing children to stay on their parents’ insurance until they are 26, and for rewarding quality outcomes rather than volume of services. She plans to help drive down prices by adding a public option for health insurance.

Klobuchar supports the now popular notion that Medicare should be able to negotiate prescription drug prices on behalf of the millions of seniors it serves, as well as allowing consumers to buy less expensive drugs from other countries, indexing U.S. drug prices to the international market and stopping drug companies from paying their competitors to not bring generic drugs to market.

Beyond instituting policies to curb health care costs, Klobuchar believes in paying for new initiatives and investments, too. She said candidates should show “how you’re going to pay for every single thing that you propose and do it in a real way, not a pie-in-the-sky way.” And she provided our editorial board with a detailed plan on how she’ll fund her ambitious agenda.

With the nation’s debt now in excess of $23 trillion and trillion dollar annual budget deficits projected every year into the future for the first time in our country’s history, the concept of candidates proposing ways to offset the costs of their policy initiatives was a requirement for any endorsement.

But Klobuchar took it a step further, expressing a willingness not only to pay for new proposals but to address existing fiscal issues, too. She is one of the only candidates to highlight the debt and deficit on her website for public consideration. Her plans also involve creating a deficit reduction fund and the goals of lowering the debt-to-GDP ratio by the end of her first term and putting our country on a sustainable fiscal path. She realizes the nation’s debt comes with a cost and burdens future generations, that taxpayers are not a bottomless piggy bank and the treasury is not a boundless money tree.

“Donald Trump has been treating the people of this country like poker chips in one of his bankrupt casinos,” she said.

Deaths of despair, which are increasing in our country because of addiction and suicide, are not an abstract concept to Klobuchar. “For me it’s personal,” she said. “My dad struggled with alcoholism my whole life growing up. By the time I got married my dad had his third DWI and they said, ‘That’s it, you’ve got to choose jail or treatment,’ and he chose treatment and in his words, it saved his life. He was pursued by grace because of his faith, family and the treatment he got.”

On climate change, Klobuchar offers a clear plan of action beginning with rejoining the rest of the world in the Paris Agreement, protecting fuel efficiency standards and putting a price on carbon emissions which, she said, “is the only way to create the incentive to get the big investment in technology that we’re going to need to take this on.” At the same time, Klobuchar stated explicitly that she will not leave behind workers in the fossil fuel industries and that money raised from pricing carbon should be reflected in lower heating and cooling bills for American consumers.

The challenges our nation faces are daunting to say the least, and we can’t fight climate change, a dysfunctional and economically abusive health care system, and soaring debt and deficits while fighting each other. In our view, Klobuchar is the right candidate with the right track record and temperament to begin bringing the people of our nation back together.

“I don’t think people are looking for the richest candidate,” Klobuchar said. “They’ve already got a guy who boasts all the time about how rich he is in the White House. They’re not looking for the loudest candidate in the room or the most extreme. I think they want something very different than Donald Trump and I am that person.”

We encourage our readers to vote for Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the Feb. 11 Democratic primary.

Trump, RNC to Show $155.2 Million Raised in Q4 2019, $195.9 Million Cash on Hand

Trump, RNC to Show $155.2 Million Raised in Q4 2019, $195.9 Million Cash on Hand

Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. (DJTFP) today announced that the President’s campaign, authorized joint fundraising committees, and the Republican National Committee (RNC) will show a massive combined total of $155.2 million raised in the 4th quarter of 2019 in documents to be filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) this evening. This far exceeds the $125.7 million raised by the same entities in the 3rd quarter of 2019. All told, the three Trump entities and the RNC will report a staggering $195.9 million cash on hand combined. All entities raised an astounding $463.5 million throughout all of 2019.

“Americans are embracing President Trump’s clear record of accomplishment on behalf of this country and they are financially supporting his re-election in record-breaking fashion,” said Brad Parscale, Trump 2020 campaign manager. “These resources will be put to effective use as the President mounts an aggressive campaign from coast to coast as he powers to re-election.”

In the 4th quarter, the President’s campaign, DJTFP, received 1,493,455 individual donations, of which 98.78 percent were $200 or less, with an average donation of $40.87.

Jill and Joe Biden to Travel to New Hampshire on February 4-5, 2020

Jill and Joe Biden to Travel to New Hampshire on February 4-5, 2020

On Tuesday, February 4, Jill and Joe Biden will travel to New Hampshire. On Wednesday, February 5, Vice President Biden will also be in New Hampshire. Vice President Biden will continue to lay out his vision for America and listen to voters’ concerns and ideas around restoring the soul of the nation, rebuilding the middle class, and unifying the country.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4

GOTV Event with Jill and Joe Biden in Nashua, NH
Doors Open: 11:30 AM ET
Event Start Time: 12:00 PM ET

Where: Girls Inc. of New Hampshire, 27 Burke St, Nashua, NH 03060

Event Attendance: Members of the public who wish to attend can RSVP HERE. https://www.mobilize.us/joebiden/event/219280/

GOTV Event with Joe Biden in Concord, NH
Doors Open: 6:15 PM ET
Event Start Time: 6:45 PM ET

Where: IBEW Local 490, 48 Airport Rd, Concord, NH 03301

Event Attendance: Members of the public who wish to attend can RSVP HERE. https://www.mobilize.us/joebiden/event/219288/

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

GOTV Event with Joe Biden in Somersworth, NH
Doors Open: 10:45 AM ET
Event Start Time: 11:15 AM ET

Where: 1899 Ballroom and Function Hall, 43 High St, Somersworth, NH 03878

Event Attendance: Members of the public who wish to attend can RSVP HERE. https://www.mobilize.us/joebiden/event/219534/

CNN Town Hall with Joe Biden in Manchester, NH
VP Start Time: 8:00 PM ET

Where: Saint Anselm College, Dana Center, 100 St Anselm Dr, Manchester, NH 03102

Iowa City Press-Citizen Endorses Senator Amy Klobuchar for President

Iowa City Press-Citizen Endorses Senator Amy Klobuchar for President

“Her track record in Minnesota shows her ability to appeal across urban, rural and progressive, moderate divides.”

DES MOINES, IA —Today, the Iowa City Press-Citizen’s editorial board endorsed Senator Amy Klobuchar for President. The Press-Citizen, which serves Iowa City, Johnson County, and portions of surrounding counties, cited Klobuchar’s history of passing bipartisan legislation and ability to beat Donald Trump as the primary reasons for their endorsement.

Their endorsement comes on the heels of endorsements from the Quad-City Times, the New York Times and three New Hampshire papers: the New Hampshire Union Leader, The Keene Sentinel, and the Seacoast Media Group.

Iowa City Press Citizen -- Press-Citizen Editorial Board endorses Amy Klobuchar for Iowa Caucus 2020

When Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota showed up in Iowa City in May 2019, she was just another presidential hopeful roaming the streets, but even then, she had the right thesis for Democrats in a post-2016 America:

"I truly believe if you are going to run for president, you should have some ideas. You should have a way to pay for them and a way to get them done," Klobuchar told a packed room at the Mill Restaurant on May 4, 2019.

A key point to Klobuchar's post-Trump America is nothing happens if we cannot get things done. That means flipping Republican seats in Congress, collaborating with Republicans when possible and, importantly, passing legislation. As the board sees it, the country needs change, but that change will only come from a party headed by a president who has the capacity to unify our country. That means avoiding candidates that scare off would-be collaborators.

She can beat Trump in the Midwest, which is key to winning the Electoral College as well as the popular vote.

Her track record in Minnesota shows her ability to appeal across urban, rural and progressive, moderate divides. In her 2006 race against Republican then U.S. Rep Mark Kennedy she won all but eight counties. In 2012, she beat her opponent Kurt Bills by 35 points, outperforming even President Barack Obama's reelection victory. While Republicans had a better year in 2018, she still held strong support in the Twin Cities and its suburbs.

While in Congress, she has shown a consistency in working the system to produce outcomes. From The 2018 Broadband Infrastructure Act to a bill to incent physicians to practice in under-served often rural communities, Klobuchar has moved the needle.

Many have decried Klobuchar as a moderate incrementalist, but she has shown she is willing to make big moves focused on making the process better. While she and the rest of her colleagues in the Senate are finding their work halted by Mitch McConnell, Klobuchar's 100-day plan details how she would use executive orders to get the U.S. back in the International Climate Agreements on day one — taking a step towards reclaiming our leadership on addressing the climate crisis. In addition, she would use executive orders to increase government cybersecurity, close the so-called 'boyfriend loophole' for firearms, end the separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border and restore requirements for the government to release annual reports on non-war zone strikes and assessments of civilian deaths resulting from those strikes. It should be noted that the balance of power needs to be addressed so change by executive order is last resort action. But so long as important bills end up rotting in McConnell's drawer, we are glad to support a candidate looking at all of her options.

While Klobuchar's proven track record in statewide elections and history of bipartisan legislation makes her a top choice, her campaign has struggled to gain national traction in the way that other candidates have. Her campaign should take note of these candidates' robust media outreach and ability to meet voters where they are to help ensure that her message is getting out to the groups she will need to win. Whatever the precincts report Monday night, Klobuchar will have to up her media game if she's going to be successful moving forward.

For these reasons, the board put itself behind Klobuchar — BUT caucusing for the right presidential nominee should be a small part of our area's participation in politics.

As always, the Press-Citizen Editorial Board nods to the national but wants to emphasize the local. On June 2, 2020 there will be a primary election for congressional, state legislative and county offices. On the November ballot, there will be more than just a president to pick.

If we believe in change, we must of course vote when the president is on the ballot. But that's the minimum. We have to show up and down the ballot especially outside presidential years.

Bernie Sanders to Hold “Not Me. Us.” Rally in New Hampshire the Day After Iowa Caucuses *Updated

Bernie Sanders to Hold “Not Me. Us.” Rally in New Hampshire the Day After Iowa Caucuses *Updated

MANCHESTER – Sen. Bernie Sanders will hold the “Not Me. Us.” rally in Milford, New Hampshire on February 4, following the Iowa Caucuses.

Additional speakers and special guests to be announced.

Here is the itinerary:

Tuesday, February 4
6:30 p.m. “Not Me. Us.” Bernie 2020 Milford Rally with Sen. Bernie Sanders
Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, NH 03055
Information for the public: This event is open to the public. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is encouraged. Entrance is provided on a first come, first served basis. Parking at Hampshire Hills is limited. Additional parking is available at 528 Rte 13, Milford, NH 03055 (shuttles available). https://events.berniesanders.com/event/220341/

Iowa State Representative Phyllis Thede Endorses Pete Buttigieg for President

Iowa State Representative Phyllis Thede Endorses Pete Buttigieg for President
Thede is a five-term state representative and a member of Iowa’s Legislative Black Caucus

DES MOINES, IA - With days until caucus night, State Representative Phyllis Thede announced her endorsement of Pete Buttigieg for president. In her endorsement, Thede touted Pete’s ability to bring people together.

“Pete can bring us together,” said Representative Thede. “He’s a listener who understands the challenges facing our country, and he’s putting forward plans that can unite us in the solutions to these problems. As a mayor, a veteran, and someone who lives in a middle-class neighborhood, he’ll bring the voices of working people from places like South Bend and Davenport to Washington. As president, Pete will rally this country around a vision for the future that is better for all of us, and I’m proud to be caucusing for him on February 3.”

Thede represents House District 93, which includes parts of Davenport and Bettendorf, and is a member of Iowa’s Legislative Black Caucus. She had previously endorsed Senator Kamala Harris. Tonight, Thede will introduce Pete at his event in Davenport.

Thede joins Congressman Dave Loebsack, State Senators Tony Bisignano and Bill Dotzler, State Representatives Jo Oldson, Scott Ourth, Kristin Sunde, and Brian Meyer, Mayors Quinton Hart of Waterloo and Matt Bemrich of Fort Dodge, Mayors Pro-Tem Paul Adams of Mason City and Mitch Gross of Coralville, former State Representative Deb Berry, and over 140 other Democratic elected officials and activists in Iowa backing Pete for president.

Iowans continue to show up in record numbers to hear Pete speak in every corner of the state. This caucus cycle he has drawn the largest crowds of any candidate in Algona, Ankeny, Atlantic, Burlington, Carroll, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Centerville, Charles City, Creston, Davenport, Decorah, Denison, Des Moines, Dubuque, Elkader, Emmetsburg, Fort Dodge, Fort Madison, Independence, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Keokuk, Knoxville, Maquoketa, Mason City, Mount Pleasant, Mount Vernon, Muscatine, New Hampton, Newton, Ottumwa, Pella, Perry, Red Oak, Shenandoah, Spencer, Tipton, Toledo, Washington, Waterloo, Webster City, West Des Moines and Winterset.

Tom Steyer Statement on New DNC Debate Qualification Standards

Tom Steyer Statement on New DNC Debate Qualification Standards

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA, January 31, 2020) — Today, presidential candidate Tom Steyer issued the following statement on the heels of the Democratic National Committee’s new qualification standards for the ninth Democratic presidential debate in Nevada, which remove the unique donor threshold requirement.

“Let’s make one thing clear: changing the rules now to accommodate Mike Bloomberg and not changing them in the past to ensure a more diverse debate stage is just plain wrong. Back in December, I called on the DNC to open up the debate requirements so that more candidates, including candidates of color, would be able to participate. The Democratic Party should be doing everything possible to ensure a diverse field of candidates. Instead, they are changing the rules for a candidate who is ignoring early states voters and grassroots donors.”

“I have always believed that one of the Democratic Party’s great strengths is that it represents every community in our great nation, and that voters should be able to hear from a diverse group of candidates before they select our nominee. This race is wide open and will continue to be until a majority of Democrats vote. It’s up to us to continue to show America that we are the party of diversity, that can unite our country and expose Trump in the general election as the fraud and failure that he is.”

Today’s news comes as Steyer surges in the early states, with the most recent Morning Consult early state tracker showing him in third place with 17% support. A January 9, 2020 Fox News Poll showed Steyer in second place in South Carolina with 15% support, and third in Nevada with 12%. Recent internal numbers from HIT Strategies show Steyer polling above 12% in both South Carolina and Nevada. However, due to the DNC’s arbitrary decision to limit qualifying polls to a much shorter window (between January 15, 2020 and February 18, 2020) than previous debates and to start that window right after the campaign received two qualifying polls, Steyer is yet to qualify for the Nevada debate.