Campaigns and Elections
10-15-07
Campaigns Stockpiling Iowa Legislative Endorsements
By - Justin Schardin
A 1980s-era Saturday Night Live sketch cut to the streets of New York City, then
considered America's crime capital. "In New York, a man is mugged every six
seconds," said an earnest faux reporter, his microphone held close. "This is that
man." And that man was dutifully mugged every six seconds of his interview.
Maybe endorsements from Iowa legislators aren't occurring quite that quickly, but
the state's lawmakers are in season. Seeking every possible advantage,
presidential campaigns are applying pressure and lately, the endorsements have
been falling into place, with one or more new endorsements announced nearly
every day.
What do legislators experience behind the scenes? Do their endorsements make
an impact?
"They're a dime a dozen and they're not worth very much," said Iowa State
University professor Steffen Schmidt. "In caucuses there really are no
coattails for anybody. And so if you can get some endorsements, that and three
bucks will get you a cup of coffee. But I don't think members of the statehouse
and others have constituencies that necessarily follow their lead."
But not all endorsements are equal, said Schmidt, and one with statewide
credibility can make a difference. He mentioned U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.,
who has been endorsed by former Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Gordon
Fischer, as well as Iowa‘s attorney general and treasurer.
"People are not going to follow [endorsers'] leads, but they're going to say, ‘hmm,
if X is interested in this guy, maybe there's something I've missed...' Those are
more important than large numbers of smaller ones," Schmidt said.
As with many things, it depends on whom you ask. Iowa state House Majority
Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines, is perhaps the most public Iowa
supporter of U.S. Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware. He said endorsements usually are
unimportant in the state, but that in the caucuses, where low turnout heavily
skewed toward activists is the rule, their connections can be difference-makers.
Schmidt agreed there is some value in having local leaders on board for what
they can bring in organization. "[O]n caucus night if you have politically savvy
people who have come on board of your campaign, they can help to make the
case for you with the other people who are that precinct." Such leaders in the
right places can sway votes to their candidates, or away from their main
opponents.
State Rep. David Jacoby, D-Coralville, Thursday announced his support for
Obama. Jacoby said most presidential candidates are probably not looking for a
big publicity splash with such endorsements, but rather the contacts legislators
bring to the table.
"I think it's part of that grass-roots effort," he said. "I'm surprised when I'm in the
grocery store and people ask, ‘who are you supporting?'" and that when he said
he was undecided they asked to tell them when he'd made up his mind. He said
candidates like to have legislators host local events as an entrée to district
voters.
Most recent support has gone to Democratic candidates. State Sen. and former
minority leader Mary Lundby, R-Marion, a supporter of former New York Mayor
Rudy Giuliani (R), said that's because she and most Republican legislators
declared their intentions early.
She said money transferred to state campaigns plays a significant role. "A lot of
[legislators] are being paid," she said. "Some of them are personally paid, but a
leader might receive a chunk of money for their campaigns. And that has a lot
influence on leaders especially."
McCarthy agreed such support was important, but that all of the his party's major
candidates have been very helpful to Iowa's Democratic legislators.
Lundby said campaigns value different things from different legislators. "I
provided fundraising lists, [and] you help with organization. I'm a person who's
fairly good with the press so I get a lot of press, so...many times they'll line up
interviews for me."
A few legislators remain undecided by choice, including state Rep. and House
minority whip Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha. He said he's spoken personally with
nearly every Republican candidate, and that there wasn't undue pressure to
commit.
But he has gotten flattering attention. "Probably the biggest shock I got was a
true one-on-one with Rudy Giuliani for about 15 minutes that I never expected,"
he said. "I assumed I'd been invited to a small group discussion [but] they said,
‘no you are the group. We're talking to you today.'"
Jacoby has too, and said the Clinton camp did their homework on him, and in
their pitch to him focused on his two young daughters, who they said they wanted
to have the opportunity to become president too. Said Jacoby tongue firmly in
cheek, "Frankly I just want them out of the house, but if they become president,
that's great too."