Today marks the start of voting in the 2020 election and I am excited to be in Iowa checking the pulse of the electorate, meeting the candidates, watching how the voters engage with them and enjoying this fascinating process of ‘caucusing.’ My take on four of the candidates:
Amy Klobuchar
I was not sure what to expect in Iowa, but I decided it might be fun to visit the weekend before the caucuses and observe democracy in action. My first stop was to hear Amy Klobuchar. I saw her twice, once at her Des Moines rally and then at a sports bar during the Super Bowl. She was planning to fly back to Washington later that evening and then fly back on Monday night to Iowa for the caucuses. It is not easy being on the trail to campaign for president.
The Klobuchar rally was very interesting. Her messaging was clear. A Midwesterner, Amy Klobuchar sticks to her roots and relies on her Midwestern persona to appeal to her audience. She touts her own role in the Senate as finding ways to bring together both parties when it comes to getting things done. Her reportedly 100 plus bills initiated by her or co-sponsored by her have made it into law. And she has won three elections in Minnesota, Trump country, where she has won by strong margins, including the district that elected Michelle Bachman. Amy Klobuchar votes with President Trump 27% of the time.
While her campaign has fallen behind the pack of four in the national polls, she has had momentum after each debate and continues to climb in the polls but remains 5th in line overall. A strong finish in Iowa could drive fundraising. At the caucuses, if a potential nominee does not have 15% at the caucus site, then the caucus attendees must move to a different candidate. It is not an open caucus but that is not meaningful as a republican may change parties at the site of the caucuses.
Amy’s message resonated with the crowd: “I have integrity, I have courage, I work hard, and I work for the people. I know the people. My work is focused on rural market issues and I love that as it is complex and important. Farming is important and we need more investment there. And I draw republican voters.”
The draw of republican voters may be her biggest attraction. Regardless of what happens this evening, Amy Klobuchar has made her presence well known and broadened her reach.
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren held a rally at Simpson University. We got there and were relegated to a lower level due to the room capacity at 500 people. I have seen and heard Elizabeth Warren before so I was not too worried about missing something new. The event space was very crowded and energized. The media line was significant and national news, local news and college reporters were everywhere. Impressively there were many young people attending the event. Many carried signs that said: “Cancel Student Debt.” This is a signature Warren issue with over 1.5 trillion dollars of loans outstanding for college loans; it is also an issue for the housing market. Student debt equals consumer debt levels which leaves less room for housing debt and mortgages.
Senator Warren was energetic and ran into the rally, per the video, and stopped by the overflow room to offer a brief update and speech about her candidacy. Her focus is on all things consumer. This is not surprising as she is the architect and leader behind the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In fact, while at a separate republican gathering at a diner, I ran into some of the CFPB former employees who had come to Iowa to knock on doors and help support Senator Warren.
Interestingly, Warren was endorsed by the Des Moines Register which is a coveted endorsement for any candidate. They cite their reasoning to be she will redirect an unequal America. While it does not matter what side of the political aisle you are on, understanding and debating issues with Elizabeth Warren means you should do your homework. She is on top of her statistics, understands the impact to consumers and borrowers and is ready to fight for many issues. In fact, she really does have in-depth written plans.
Warren’s focus on ‘fighting’ is what may cause pause for some given the already divisive political environment. However, she has been fighting on behalf of consumers for most of her life. Warren’s story is impressive as a public schoolteacher, Harvard professor, and now US Senator. At breakfast at the well-known Drake diner, we met with a couple who suggested they would really like to see Elizabeth Warren on stage debating President Trump. Warren will not back down.
Senator Warren has accomplished a great deal in her years which makes her a formidable candidate and one to watch in Iowa and beyond.
Joe Biden
The rally of the weekend was former Vice President Biden’s. I was unsure of what to expect from his event in Iowa. It is very clear that Joe Biden is campaigning as the comfort candidate and experienced leader from the executive branch as well as legislative branch of government. The crowd was large, and as one might expect, a clearly older crowd.
Biden surrounded himself with establishment brand name politicians, such as the former Governor of Iowa and Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, and former presidential candidate John Kerry. He had two congresswomen elected in Iowa in the 2018 wave of flipping districts, and longtime Illinois Attorney General, Tom Miller. Biden had numerous other luminaries in the crowd. His familiar lines were on full display, … ”Here’s the deal,” … “ The fact is…” and “God love him.” Notably, he is the only candidate whose campaign rally started out with the pledge of allegiance.
The rally featured many videos reflecting his time with President Obama and his deep international experience. He seemed energized and spent most of his time speaking about President Trump. His message was clear.
“I am a warm, empathetic and strong leader. I won’t bow down to Putin. Caucus goers can have a twofer-they can ruin Trump’s night and Joni Ernst’s night. I will bring us back together, including the republicans on the other side of the aisle. Our country is better than this.”
Biden emphasized how disgraceful it is that our President would refer to white supremacists as fine people. And he joked about the President spending 15 million dollars to discredit and disparage his family and him. I was ready for the former Vice President to taunt President Trump with an offer to a push-up contest, but alas he saved that!
Joe Biden is campaigning as the steady leader, ready on day one emphasizing his experienced leadership from the Executive and Legislative Branches of government. His speech was predictable though. As we walked out of the event with some of the young attendees, I spoke with a young woman who was not impressed. She noted, “He did not mention any plans on what he would do when he got into office. He did not mention how we would move forward. I will not vote for someone who does not spell that out.” I asked her who she was thinking about supporting and she said she was thinking about Andrew Yang.
Despite the mixed views on VP Biden, it is important to point out that his name recognition and years of strong experience make him an easy pick for voters who are unsure about taking a risk on an unknown candidate. He seems to be drawing from an older crowd who are more likely to vote. It will be interesting to see how Joe Biden does in the Iowa Caucus tonight.
Pete Buttigieg
Maybe the most energetic of events was Mayor Pete’s. Like many, I was excited to attend the event for Pete Buttigieg. The lines were long but somehow I was asked for an interview with a local news station which took me close to the front of the line. When the doors opened I was able to be right up front against the barrier that surrounded Mayor Pete. Whatever your politics are, it is clear to many Pete Buttigieg is someone to watch.
Pete Buttigieg is the youngest competitor in the race, born in 1982. That makes him 38 years old. He clearly stands out and separates from the crowd as a generational and transformational leader. He values his Faith and makes that one of his campaign pillars: all “Faith” is welcome, whatever that looks like.
Buttigieg emphasizes his service in Afghanistan, his commitment to solving Climate change, and is all for universal health care that allows private health care as a choice. Mayor Pete also highlights that his ability to have a husband is something he is thankful for and he will lead on civil rights. It stands out that he went to Harvard and is a Rhodes Scholar. All and all, Pete Buttigieg is a collaborative leader and brings along diverse groups to march in the same direction.
The youth was in force at Pete’s rally. The energy in the room was electric and the media was clinging to each word. While Pete runs behind the top leaders in the polls, he is someone who is drawing crowds from the young and older generation. His campaign is working hard to win in Iowa and it is thought that the top three winners will gain traction for donations and volunteers as they campaign across the country.
Pete’s work as a former Mayor of South Bend Indiana validates he is used to getting things done because being a mayor means the roads need to be plowed and issues get resolved across the aisle.
I had the opportunity to speak Steve Adler, Mayor of Austin, who is stumping for Mayor Pete. Adler highlighted that of all the Mayors across the country, he found Mayor Pete to be most effective and one to emulate.
As I was leaving the event, another man approached me to discuss the Mayor and he was beaming. He was a republican until he started working with Mayor Pete. When the Mayor had some race relation issues with the Police and constituents in Indiana, he drew in a group of people from across all sides of the issue to be on a task force. By the end, Mayor Pete had the group coming together and working on a plan that worked for all. This gentleman noted he would follow Pete anywhere because he is just a quality gentleman and can really make a difference with his leadership. Pete should have had him on the stage!
My recommendation is that Pete is one to watch. I am not sure how the caucus will go tonight but I am sure that Mayor Pete is giving it his all, as are the other candidates. This may be a record turn-out in the caucus events.
It is often said that those who offer opinions or are critical of the process should get involved. I agree so I went to Iowa. I will have an opinion on the process and I am fortunate to be able to join in and see it first-hand. Wow, it is demanding out here on the campaign trail.
I look forward to watching the Iowa Caucus play out knowing I took part and learned a great deal. As the candidates move on to New Hampshire, I look forward to engaging and following each step of the journey to this summer’s convention and the naming of the Democratic candidate for President.