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16 Iowa Political and Business Leaders Sign an Open Letter Urging Elizabeth Warren to Run for President

Today, 16 well-known leaders in the political and business fields in Iowa have joined to publicly call on Elizabeth Warren to run for president in 2016.

More than 311,000 Americans have already signed a petition calling on Warren to enter the race—including supporters in all 99 counties in Iowa—and supporters have organized more than 75 events in Iowa since the Run Warren Run campaign launched in December.

Run Warren Run has offices open in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids and five field staff on the ground in Iowa, and recently hired campus organizers at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and Drake University.

You can read more about the open letter to Senator Warren, and the growing support in Iowa for Run Warren Run, in The Des Moines Register.


Read the full letter below. 

Open Letter to Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Our country is at a crossroads. The rich get richer, but middle-class families and those struggling to make it into the middle class work harder while falling further behind. Income inequality is at its highest since 1928 and wages remain too low. The game is rigged.

If you work hard, if you play by the rules, it doesn’t matter where your parents were born, what color your skin is, whether you’re a woman or man, or who you love—you should be respected in our society, you should be valued, and you should be able to make ends meet. You should be able to walk down the street without fear. You should be able to live on a sustainable planet. And your voice should count in our democracy. Washington can no longer be run by lobbyists, the powerful, and corporate interests for their own advantage.

As the 2016 presidential campaign begins, it is time for Democrats to be bold, to stand for something, to propose innovative, inspiring solutions to our nation’s toughest challenges, and to stand strong for core American values.

We need leaders who aren’t afraid to tell the truth, and fight back—no matter what powerful interests say—and we need all the candidates in the caucus to offer a bold vision for an economy that works for all Americans.

Contested caucuses test and strengthen candidates and ensure progressives have a chance to make our voices heard. Having a real debate is what democracy is all about.

That’s why Americans from all walks of life have risen up to encourage Senator Elizabeth Warren to run for President. Sen. Warren is a fighter for middle-class and working families who has stood up to the corporate interests and Wall Street banks. I urge Elizabeth Warren to run for President in 2016.

One thing Iowans value is the first-in-the-nation caucus, and a chance for candidates to come into our homes and libraries and community centers to talk to real voters. We look forward to all the candidates coming to Iowa to share their views about the critical issues that matter to us.

Sincerely,

Robert Bell, Madison County Democratic Party Chair

Kimberley Boggus, Des Moines Activist

Tim Bottaro, Former Democratic Party State Central Committee Member

Mike Carberry, Johnson County Supervisor

Gerene Denning, Johnson County Central Committee Member

George Ensley, Boone County Democratic Party Co-Chair

Ed Fallon, Former State Representative & Former Gubernatorial Candidate

Neil Morgan, Ringgold County Democratic Party Chair

Don Paulson, Muscatine County Democratic Party Chair

Kevin Perkins, Small Business Owner, Davenport

Heather Ryan, East Des Moines Democratic Party Chair

Dave Somsky, Former Woodbury County Democratic Party Chair

Veronica Tessler, Small Business Owner, Iowa City

Jerry Tormey, Urbandale Area Democratic Party Co-Chair

Phyllis Ann Weeks, Former Marion County Democratic Party Chair

Lorraine Williams, Washington County Democratic Party Chair