Comments on: Who Will Our Congressmen Endorse? http://iowaprogress.com/2007/01/27/who-will-our-congressmen-endorse/ Politics in Iowa from a progressive viewpoint. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:28:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: John Deeth http://iowaprogress.com/2007/01/27/who-will-our-congressmen-endorse/#comment-7200 John Deeth Sat, 27 Jan 2007 23:29:04 +0000 http://iowaprogress.com/2007/01/27/who-will-our-congressmen-endorse/#comment-7200 Dave Loebsack was very early and very solid for Bradley in 1999 - which was worth a LOT since there was a great deal of pressure from DC and Des Moines to get behind Gore. Dave Loebsack was very early and very solid for Bradley in 1999 - which was worth a LOT since there was a great deal of pressure from DC and Des Moines to get behind Gore.

]]> By: Iowa Progress » Hillary’s First Day http://iowaprogress.com/2007/01/27/who-will-our-congressmen-endorse/#comment-7203 Iowa Progress » Hillary’s First Day Sun, 28 Jan 2007 01:29:25 +0000 http://iowaprogress.com/2007/01/27/who-will-our-congressmen-endorse/#comment-7203 [...] at East High School in Des Moines range from 1500 to nearly 3000. She got an introduction from Leonard Boswell and has had an interview with David Yepsen that’s as close to a puff piece as Yepsen would [...] […] at East High School in Des Moines range from 1500 to nearly 3000. She got an introduction from Leonard Boswell and has had an interview with David Yepsen that’s as close to a puff piece as Yepsen would […]

]]> By: Nathan http://iowaprogress.com/2007/01/27/who-will-our-congressmen-endorse/#comment-7284 Nathan Tue, 30 Jan 2007 08:00:04 +0000 http://iowaprogress.com/2007/01/27/who-will-our-congressmen-endorse/#comment-7284 I think that the real race to talk about is who Iowa labor will endorse. Lately, Iowa labor has tended to landslide toward one candidate in primaries (Culver, Braley, Kerry) and any set of key early labor pickups could mean far more than a liberal Congressman's endorsement. Iowa labor offers commited labor activists, especially in their core urban Democratic precincts, that can deliver real results come caucus night and work very hard up to that point. Plus, remember damage done by the poorly produced robocall by Tom Harkin endorsing Howard Dean repeatedly sent to Democratic households? Such overtly political moves like one politician's endorsement of another, unless that politician is highly popular, are far less helpful than a consequential party mover and shaker like a chief of staff (ahem, JoDee Winterhoff). Unless (like Loebsack) the politician can provide actual organizational assistance in the form of advice or volunteers, candidates should look for the support of those with real resources. I think that the real race to talk about is who Iowa labor will endorse. Lately, Iowa labor has tended to landslide toward one candidate in primaries (Culver, Braley, Kerry) and any set of key early labor pickups could mean far more than a liberal Congressman’s endorsement.

Iowa labor offers commited labor activists, especially in their core urban Democratic precincts, that can deliver real results come caucus night and work very hard up to that point.

Plus, remember damage done by the poorly produced robocall by Tom Harkin endorsing Howard Dean repeatedly sent to Democratic households? Such overtly political moves like one politician’s endorsement of another, unless that politician is highly popular, are far less helpful than a consequential party mover and shaker like a chief of staff (ahem, JoDee Winterhoff).

Unless (like Loebsack) the politician can provide actual organizational assistance in the form of advice or volunteers, candidates should look for the support of those with real resources.

]]> By: Chase Martyn http://iowaprogress.com/2007/01/27/who-will-our-congressmen-endorse/#comment-7296 Chase Martyn Tue, 30 Jan 2007 23:47:52 +0000 http://iowaprogress.com/2007/01/27/who-will-our-congressmen-endorse/#comment-7296 Nathan, I think your characterization of the role of organized labor is a little off. For one thing, the IFL endorsed Blouin during the 06 primaries. Chet had support from the UAW, but Blouin had the other big ones, at least in name. Similarly, while Kerry had support from Firefighters and maybe a few other unions in 2003-2004, Gephardt was generally considered the labor candidate, and Dean got AFSCME and SEIU. If anything, I think the losses of Blouin, Gephardt, and Dean lead to questions about how important union endorsements really are during primary contests in Iowa. I think they are still important, but it isn't clear that they are as relevant as they used to be. Nathan,

I think your characterization of the role of organized labor is a little off. For one thing, the IFL endorsed Blouin during the 06 primaries. Chet had support from the UAW, but Blouin had the other big ones, at least in name.

Similarly, while Kerry had support from Firefighters and maybe a few other unions in 2003-2004, Gephardt was generally considered the labor candidate, and Dean got AFSCME and SEIU.

If anything, I think the losses of Blouin, Gephardt, and Dean lead to questions about how important union endorsements really are during primary contests in Iowa. I think they are still important, but it isn’t clear that they are as relevant as they used to be.

]]>