Campaigning in the time of Coronavirus
Is Iowa still a battleground state?
I don’t know. It surely has been for 20 years, but Trump drubbed Clinton here 51-41. (Surely someone close to HRC should have advised her ‘it’s the economy, stupid’).
The Des Moines Register poll released today shows a dead heat with Trump and Biden at 47% each. Four percent for “someone else”.
Biden popular with women and independents. Scoring high on COVID response. Trump popular with men and scoring high on the economy.
I can’t say I have a definite feel for Iowa. My yard sign poll puts Trump up 2 to 1 but is that a sign of fanatical devotion or numbers.
The divide here is heated. I have heard of stories of stolen signs and egged houses. Perhaps it’s fall hijinx, the wind or a few bad apples. Still, it’s notable.
The Annual Democratic Steak Fry was largely virtual with an actual event in Des Moines that resembled a drive in movie.
Cars parked and honked their applause. Steaks were picked up. Organizers said 1200 tickets were sold- 450 cars came, 900 meals eaten and 300 watched online.
Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg and Nancy Pelosi were featured speakers communicating via video.
This year’s Steak Fry brings to mind two things. First, Buttigieg won Iowa and remains very popular- often hosting rallies for Biden online, and mobilizing his supporters to campaign for local candidates. Secondly, though I didn’t go to last years Fry- I did report what I heard- that it was raucous, passionate but a logistic nightmare. That the Caucus would end up as it did was probably evident from that early report.
No bigger example of the divide of the two parties was that Trump supporters held one of their famous Boat Rallies at the opposite direction of the Metro area in Saylorville Lake.
Once again, video of the event proves these rallies do draw. It wasn’t a particularly warm day, but sure enough there were a reported 100 boats. The event was hosted in part by Tana Goertz. Goertz, wife of a local meterologist, appeared on Apprentice Season Three and is currently a Senior Advisor to Trump.
In person maskless gathering versus socially distanced often virtual zoom meetings. Four visits from Mike Pence and one from Trump compared to the Dems biggest event being held online.
One of the Iowa Republicans’ biggest fundraisers is Sen Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride- a play on the idea of riding motorcycles and eating barbecue and it will still be held but in modified form.
2020’s edition will be extended to a two day affair as a motorcycle ride across the state (sans the dinner) and bikers are encouraged to travel at their own pace instead of bunched up in packs.
As a gauge to 2024, Nikki Haley joined the event last year (Donald Trump, Scott Walker, Rick Perry, Lindsey Graham, Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson have joined the event in the past)
With Ernst and Gov. Reynolds both speaking at this years’ Republican Convention, no doubt Iowa will be in the political conversation for some time to come.
I don’t know. It surely has been for 20 years, but Trump drubbed Clinton here 51-41. (Surely someone close to HRC should have advised her ‘it’s the economy, stupid’).
The Des Moines Register poll released today shows a dead heat with Trump and Biden at 47% each. Four percent for “someone else”.
Biden popular with women and independents. Scoring high on COVID response. Trump popular with men and scoring high on the economy.
I can’t say I have a definite feel for Iowa. My yard sign poll puts Trump up 2 to 1 but is that a sign of fanatical devotion or numbers.
The divide here is heated. I have heard of stories of stolen signs and egged houses. Perhaps it’s fall hijinx, the wind or a few bad apples. Still, it’s notable.
The Annual Democratic Steak Fry was largely virtual with an actual event in Des Moines that resembled a drive in movie.
Cars parked and honked their applause. Steaks were picked up. Organizers said 1200 tickets were sold- 450 cars came, 900 meals eaten and 300 watched online.
Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg and Nancy Pelosi were featured speakers communicating via video.
This year’s Steak Fry brings to mind two things. First, Buttigieg won Iowa and remains very popular- often hosting rallies for Biden online, and mobilizing his supporters to campaign for local candidates. Secondly, though I didn’t go to last years Fry- I did report what I heard- that it was raucous, passionate but a logistic nightmare. That the Caucus would end up as it did was probably evident from that early report.
No bigger example of the divide of the two parties was that Trump supporters held one of their famous Boat Rallies at the opposite direction of the Metro area in Saylorville Lake.
Once again, video of the event proves these rallies do draw. It wasn’t a particularly warm day, but sure enough there were a reported 100 boats. The event was hosted in part by Tana Goertz. Goertz, wife of a local meterologist, appeared on Apprentice Season Three and is currently a Senior Advisor to Trump.
In person maskless gathering versus socially distanced often virtual zoom meetings. Four visits from Mike Pence and one from Trump compared to the Dems biggest event being held online.
One of the Iowa Republicans’ biggest fundraisers is Sen Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride- a play on the idea of riding motorcycles and eating barbecue and it will still be held but in modified form.
2020’s edition will be extended to a two day affair as a motorcycle ride across the state (sans the dinner) and bikers are encouraged to travel at their own pace instead of bunched up in packs.
As a gauge to 2024, Nikki Haley joined the event last year (Donald Trump, Scott Walker, Rick Perry, Lindsey Graham, Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson have joined the event in the past)
With Ernst and Gov. Reynolds both speaking at this years’ Republican Convention, no doubt Iowa will be in the political conversation for some time to come.
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