FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 6, 2015

Contact: Ahmed Khan 

Top Iowa Elected Officials Endorse Draft Biden 2016

Local Iowa officials and activists urge Vice President Joe Biden to jump into 2016 Presidential Race

Prominent Iowa elected officials have come forward to publicly endorse the Draft Biden movement and have planned to sign onto a letter urging Vice President Joe Biden to jump into 2016 Presidential Race.

“Despite all the recent political activity and announcements regarding the presidential elections, it is exciting to see that there are people still urging Joe Biden to get into the 2016 race,” said Draft Biden 2016 Executive Director Will Pierce. “Joe is busy performing his duties as the Vice President and has said publicly that he has time to make a decision. Building a base of strong support among Iowans and other key early states for a Biden candidacy will allow the Vice President to jump into the race with an infrastructure and organization already in place.” 

As a result of the meetings, prominent Iowa elected officials have come forward to publicly endorse the Draft Biden movement and have planned to sign onto a letter urging Vice President Joe Biden to jump into 2016 Presidential Race.

Headlining the list of initial endorsers include State Senator Tony Bisignano (17th District), State Representative Jim Lykam (85th District), State Representative Mary A. Gaskill (93rd District), and Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz. 

Excerpts from the letter that will be sent on behalf of the elected officials urging Vice President Biden to run for the Democratic presidential ticket in 2016:

“Everything you and President Barack Obama have done for this country during the last two terms will be on the line. Will we continue the great work that has been done or let this country take a sharp turn onto the wrong path? There are so many accomplishments and yet so much left to be done.”

“We also believe that we hold elections in this country, not coronations. No candidate is “inevitable;” Democratic primary voters deserve a choice. All voters deserve a choice.”

“We as elected officials, organizers and leaders of the great state of Iowa, are strongly endorsing the efforts of Draft Biden 2016 and urging you to enter the 2016 Presidential Race.”

Local supporter of the Draft Biden 2016 movement and Regional Field Organizer on Vice President Biden’s 2008 Presidential campaign, Sharon Holle of Davenport, IA, highlighted the strong relationship the Vice President enjoys with Iowans, “Since the 2008 election, Vice President Biden has kept in touch with his 2008 campaign staff.  Each time that he comes to Iowa he makes sure that he gets to see us in person; he calls us his family.”

Holle further articulated the growing anticipation for his announcement, “Now it’s 2015 and another Presidential election is near. Every one of our 2008 Biden staffers continue to wait for his announcement and are anxious to open a new Biden for President office when he does. There are thousands of Iowa volunteers and counting who can't wait to get to work for Joe, he just needs to announce.”

With Iowa being the first true test of a candidate’s organization and support, Draft Biden will soon have Iowa staff and a field office up and running within the next month.  Draft Biden’s Executive Director, Will Pierce, also attended the South Carolina Democratic Convention last month as well as the South Carolina Jefferson-Jackson dinner the night before with base-building already underway in the “First in the South" primary state.