p2016 header graphic

Iowa Endorsements—Democrats

Given the apparent dominance of former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton in the lead up to the 2016 campaign it is not clear if endorsements will be much of a factor in the Democratic caucuses.  However, at least a few Democrats are looking for alternative choices; on March 18, 2015 Run Warren Run released a letter signed by 16 Democratic leaders (+).  In 2007-08 Democracy in Action found 22 of the 30 Senate Democrats and 48 of the 53 House Democrats made public endorsements before the caucuses.
Democrats  |  Republicans
 updated May 6, 2015              
Federal
U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack (CD-2)

State
Attorney General Tom Miller
Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald

Senate Democrats (26) +
Name Position District - City/Town
 County

Mike Gronstal
 Majority Leader
 5 - Council Bluffs
 Pottawattamie

Pam Jochum
 Senate President
 50 - Dubuque
 Dubuque

Joe Bolkcom
 Whip
 43 - Iowa City
 Johnson

Steve Sodders
 President Pro Tem
 36 - State Center
 Marshall

Bill Dotzler
 Assistant Leader
 31 - Waterloo
 Black Hawk

Matt McCoy
 Assistant Leader 21 - Des Moines
 Polk

Amanda Ragan
 Assistant Leader 27 - Mason City
 Cerro Gordo

Mary Jo Wilhelm
 Assistant Leader
 26 - Cresco
 Howard

Chaz Allen
15 - Newton
 Jasper

Tony Bisignano
17 - Des Moines
 Polk
 DRAFT BIDEN (05/06/15 letter)
 +
Tod Bowman
29 - Maquoketa
 Jackson

Chris Brase
46 - Muscatine
 Muscatine

Thomas Courtney
44 - Burlington
 Des Moines

Jeff Danielson
30 - Waterloo
 Black Hawk

Dick Dearden
16 - Des Moines
 Polk

Bob Dvorsky
37 - Coralville
 Johnson

Rita Hart
49 - Wheatland
 Clinton

Rob Hogg
33 - Cedar Rapids
 Linn

Wally Horn
35 - Cedar Rapids
 Linn

Kevin Kinney
39 - Oxford
 Johnson

Liz Mathis
34 - Robins
 Linn

Janet Petersen
18 - Des Moines
 Polk

Herman Quirmbach
23 - Ames
 Story

Brian Schoenjahn
32- Arlington
 Fayette

Joe Sang
45 - Davenport
 Scott

Rich Taylor
42 - Mount Pleasant
 Henry




House Democrats (43) +
Name Position District - City/Town
 County

Mark Smith
 Leader 71 - Marshalltown
 Marshall

Ako Abdul-Samad
 Assistant Leader
 35 - Des Moines
 Polk

Mary Gaskill
 Assistant Leader
 81 - Ottumwa
 Wapello
 DRAFT BIDEN (05/06/15 letter) +
Todd Prichard
 Assistant Leader
 Charles City
 Floyd

Sharon Steckman
 Assistant Leader
 Mason City
 Cerro Gordo

Marti Anderson
36 - Des Moines
Polk

Bruce Bearinger
64 - Oelwein
 Fayette

Liz Bennett
65 - Cedar Rapids
 Linn

Deborah Berry
62 - Waterloo
 Black Hawk

Timi Brown-Powers
61 - Waterloo
 Black Hawk

Dennis Cohoon
87 - Burlington
 Des Moines

Dave Dawson
14 - Sioux City
 Woodbury

Nancy Dunkel
57 - Dyersville
 Dubuque

Abby Finkenauer
99 - Dubuque
 Dubuque

John Forbes
40 - Urbandale
 Polk

Ruth Ann Gaines
32 - Des Moines
 Polk

Chris Hall
13 - Sioux City
 Woodbury

Curt Hanson
82 - Fairfield
 Jefferson

Lisa Heddens
46 - Ames
 Story

Bruce Hunter
34 - Des Moines
 Polk

Chuck Isenhart
100 - Dubuque
 Dubuque

David Jacoby
74 - Coralville
 Johnson

Jerry Kearns
83 - Keokuk
 Lee

Dan Kelley
29 - Newton
 Jasper

Bob Kressig
59 - Cedar Falls
 Black Hawk

Vicki Lensing
85 - Iowa City
 Johnson

Jim Lykam
89 - Davenport
 Scott
 DRAFT BIDEN (05/06/15 letter) +
Mary Mascher
86 - Iowa City
 Johnson

Charlie McConkey
15 - Council Bluffs
 Pottawattamie

Brian Meyer
33 - Des Moines
 Polk

Helen Miller
9 - Fort Dodge
 Webster

Jo Oldson
41 - Des Moines
 Polk

Rick Olson
31 - Des Moines
 Polk

Scott Ourth
26 - Ackworth
 Warren

Patti Ruff
56 - McGregor
 Clayton

Kirsten Running-Marquardt
69 - Cedar Rapids
 Linn

Art Staed
66 - Cedar Rapids
 Linn

Sally Stutsman
77 - Riverside
 Johnson

Todd Taylor
70 - Cedar Rapids
 Linn

Phyllis Thede
93 - Davenport
 Scott

Beth Wessel-Kroeschell
45 - Ames
 Story

Cindy Winckler
90 - Davenport
 Scott

Mary Wolfe
98 - Clinton
 Clinton

The four new members of the House Democratic Caucus elected in 2014 are Liz Bennett of Cedar Rapids, Timi Brown-Powers of Waterloo, Abby Finkenauer of Dubuque, and Charlie McConkey of Council Bluffs.

Notes:
A number of local party officials, but no state legislators signed on to Run Warren Run's March 18, 2015 letter urging Elizabeth Warren to enter the race.

Half a dozen state reps. signed on to the Progressive Change Campaign Committee's March 24, 2015 statement on "big, bold, economic-populist ideas."

On May 6 Draft Biden announced endorsers including State Sen. Tony Bisignano, State Rep. Jim Lykam, State Rep. Mary A. Gaskill, and Scott
County Auditor Roxanna Moritz.


*  *  *

Iowa Democratic Party State Central Committee

Chair
Dr. Andy McGuire

1st Vice Chair
Jim Mowrer

2nd Vice Chair
Jean Pardee

3rd Vice Chair
Omar Padilla

Treasurer
Ken Sagar

Secretary
Don Ruby

DNC Members
Scott Brennan
Sandy Opstvedt
Linda Langston
Jan Bauer
Mike Gronstal

First District
Michael D. Blackwell
Andriy Lapitskyy
Arlie Willems
Jerry Lynch
Karen Pratte
Rosemary Schwartz
Norm Sterzenbach
RRS Stewart

Second District
Al Bohanan
Bill Hanes
Melinda Jones
Susan Frembgen
Sandy Dockendorff
Marty O’Boyle
Jean Pardee
Bob Thomas

Third District
Bill Brauch
Rick Smith
Marcia H. Fulton
Jennifer Lunsford
Julie Stewart
Linda Nelson
John McCormally
Carl McPherson

Fourth District
Andy Bock
Chris Petersen
Tedd Herrick
Penny Rosfjord
Kim Weaver
Sue Seedorff-Keninger
Marcia Thompson
Selden Spencer

Affirmative Action Chair
Fred Seay

Platform Committee Chair
Mike Robinson

Rules Committee Chair
Sandy Dockendorff

President of the Iowa Young Democrats
Lauren Freeman

Asian/Pacific Islander Caucus Representative
Joseph Michalec

Black Caucus Representative
Ako Abdul-Samad
Jamie Woods

Disability Caucus Representative
Judy Schmidt
Joe Stutler

Stonewall Democrats Caucus Representative
Devin Kelly
Evan Anderson

Latino Caucus Representative
Paula Martinez
Araceli Goode

Veteran’s Caucus Representative
Ron Healey
Will Overstreet



County Leaders +