In an indication of the seriousness with which they are considering making presidential bids in 2020, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) are planning trips to Iowa.
According to Politico reports, Gillibrand will head to the early voting state next weekend.
Gillibrand also just made a significant hire: she is bringing on board Meredith Kelly as her communications director, the top spokeswoman at the DCCC. As the New York Times notes, this is a good indication that she will run.
Brown will make the trip in coming weeks, and his chief of staff (and prospective campaign manager, should he choose to run) Sarah Benzing is setting up campaign machinery behind the scenes.
Brown himself is also reportedly connecting with important Democrats in the early voting states.
Neither Gillibrand nor Brown has yet formally announced their candidacies.
All roads lead to Iowa but once you get there be prepared to drive 35mph tops.
Here’s a concept all you “Potential Candidates” Instead of wasting your time in Iowa why don’t you get your face on every teevee at every opportunity denouncing the Lunatic in the White House and fighting for the people who are not getting paid
I venture to say it will get you more votes that the 13 people who currently occupy Iowa
The DNC has decided again that first primary or caucus for the Democratic Presidential nominee should be decided by rural white people from a conservative red state.
The DNC could change this easily, but they won’t because they want to reinforce the power of white people in this country. There is no other good answer.
Want proof?
How many people of color are in this picture of Warren speaking in Iowa?
No Democracy, no justice.
Exactly
And almost enough people to make a real city. Noting more Hispanics than blacks also
They are probably all Oh Look! a negro! when they see a person of color
Because if a candidate can’t make a good showing in Iowa and/or New Hampshire, their campaign is over and all those other people will never get the chance to vote for them.
The reality is, Iowa gets a ton more attention because its first; its practically speaking, the only state where candidates will have a chance to really build a campaign and invest time. After the Iowa caucuses, its off to the races for a whirlwind tour with mere weeks, or days, or even less to spend in each state.
And that is going to hold true, regardless of which state is first. I’ve seen the arguments that Iowa isn’t representative of the rest of the country…but no state is. Each state has a blend of demographics and issues that are characteristic to them, and not rest of the country. I’ve seen it suggested we should start with a bigger state, like CA or NY, which is an even worse idea, because that would essentially make the primary consist of just that one state.
Iowa being First in the Nation is far from being a perfect way to start campaigns. But ignoring Iowa has proven the death of campaigns, ever since Carter first took advantage of its status way back in his '76 campaign.