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Join Now16 Iowa Political and Business Leaders Sign Letter Urging Elizabeth Warren to Enter Presidential Race
DES MOINES – Today, 16 well-known leaders in the political and business fields in Iowa joined to publicly call on Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to run for president in 2016.
“This letter is another indicator of the growing support for Sen. Elizabeth Warren in Iowa and the energy behind a potential Elizabeth Warren presidential campaign,” said Run Warren Run Iowa Field Director Blair Lawton. “Across the state, and across the nation, leaders in the Democratic Party are coming together to say we need a contested primary with our strongest candidates, and that means Senator Warren. Her tireless advocacy on behalf of the middle class, and her unique track record of standing up to big banks and taking on corporate interests, shows we need her vision in this race.”
The letter comes after Iowans in all 99 counties have joined the Run Warren Run campaign, a joint effort by MoveOn.org Political Action and Democracy for America to encourage Warren to run. More than 311,000 Americans have signed a petition calling on Warren to enter the race, and supporters have organized more than 75 events in Iowa since the 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.
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