Iowa caucuses: 50 most wanted Democrats
This is a list of 50 of Iowa's makers and shakers for the Democratic presidential caucuses.
They're people who can get you other people — which is what the presidential caucuses are all about on the Democratic side. Unlike in the GOP caucuses, where each Iowan gets one vote, Democrats hold mini draft parties where they argue for their neighbors to join the team for their candidate. The most charismatic and persuasive activists attract the biggest followings. The groups that are the smallest disband, and their preferred candidate gets no votes.
So for Democratic presidential hopefuls to have a shot in Iowa, they need to know how to play this game of numbers, and that means recruiting Iowans who will give them savvy advice, instant street cred and a bevy of supporters.
The Des Moines Register asked Democratic insiders to identify the people they consider the best gets for the 2016 presidential campaigns, and we got nearly 200 answers.
The Iowans who made the "50 most wanted" list are influencers who can slap together a house party and get more than 40 people to show up to meet their candidate. A dozen are paid political operatives — the ones who not only know the Iowa terrain best, but also know how to organize a 99-county campaign, build buzz and a perception of momentum, and win over caucusgoers. Dozens more influencers not mentioned here will be highly sought after for their guidance.
MORE: Iowa Caucuses Homepage | 2016 Iowa Caucuses Tracker
The caucuses are still more than a year away, scheduled for Feb. 1, 2016. Not a single Democratic prospect has declared an official candidacy yet, but the tug of war for the best Iowa talent is already underway.
INFLUENCERS
1. MIKE GRONSTAL
The Iowa Senate majority leader is the most powerful person in the Iowa Legislature, and one of the state's top political strategists. He doesn't hesitate to go toe to toe with Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, and he wields clout with the state Democratic party leadership. Gronstal, 64, is married to Connie Gronstal, also 64, a respected Pottawatomie County Democratic activist who will likely endorse a presidential candidate even though her husband may not.
2. DAVE LOEBSACK
He's now the top-ranked (and only) Iowa Democrat in Congress, which means he's on the most-wanted list almost by default. Loebsack, 61, is popular and trusted in southeast Iowa, a district that's home to some of the most heavily Democratic precincts in the state. He came out for Barack Obama at a key moment in 2007; he was a Bill Bradley guy in 2000.
3. TOM MILLER
He's a liberal vanquisher and one of the few statewide elected officials left standing after the bloody losses Democrats suffered this fall. The attorney general job is always up for election in off years, when turnout is lower, but Miller is traditionally Iowa's highest Democratic vote-getter. Miller, 70, was also an early influencer for Obama in the 2008 caucuses.
4/5. TOM AND RUTH HARKIN
Tom Harkin, 75, has long been the kingpin of Iowa Democratic politics, and with his retirement from the U.S. Senate in January, he'll have more time to help fellow Democrats. Ruth Harkin, 70, a former county prosecutor who is currently a D.C.-based corporate executive and member of the Iowa Board of Regents, is known as a superior political thinker. Together, the Harkins are a formidable team and would be a top get for any Democratic candidate.
6/7. TOM AND CHRISTIE VILSACK
The Iowa governor turned U.S. secretary of agriculture is well-liked by Iowans, and the approval runs deeper than simple name recognition, past polling has shown. He and his wife, Christie, an international education adviser, topped a list of appealing replacements for Harkin in a February 2013 Register poll of Iowa adults. The Vilsacks, both 64, spend most of their time outside Iowa these days, but they still own property here, including 580 acres of farmland in Davis County and a house in Dallas County. They're longtime Hillary Clinton backers. Some Iowans like Tom as the vice presidential nominee.
8. BRAD ANDERSON
Democratic insiders think Anderson, state director of Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, ran the perfect campaign when he sought out public office himself this fall — even though he got edged out in the secretary of state's race by a coat-tail Republican. Anderson, 40, of Des Moines tapped into the Obama campaign's Iowa network more than any other candidate, and he can bring a lot of folks with him wherever he ends up.
9. JERRY CRAWFORD
The Des Moines lawyer, who makes regular appearances on WHO-TV's "The Insiders" and public TV's "Iowa Press," is a big voice on Iowa political television shows. His praise or criticism can set the narrative for the perceived rise or fall of candidates. Crawford, 65, also is deft at getting Iowans to open their wallets for political donations. He's a Clinton guy and maintains a direct line of communication with her.
10. ANDY MCGUIRE
She's a top Democratic influencer who some insiders want to see installed as the next party chairwoman. McGuire, 58, a Des Moines physician and president of Meridian Health Plan of Iowa, ran for lieutenant governor in 2006. She's known for being one of Iowa's most passionate and effective Clinton promoters.
MORE: Iowa Caucuses Homepage | 2016 Iowa Caucuses Tracker
11. MATT PAUL
Paul, a 44-year-old Cedar Rapids native, is a seasoned politics and media relations guru who's more plugged in to what's happening in Iowa politics than almost anyone else, even though he's in D.C. helping run Tom Vilsack's agriculture department. Vilsack trusts him, and so do Iowa Democratic insiders.
12. KEVIN MCCARTHY
McCarthy, a 43-year-old former Iowa House majority leader, is sought out by Democrats, from wannabe state lawmakers to the vice president, for behind-the-scenes strategy and message advice.
13. LIZ MATHIS
If she had wanted it, Mathis, 56, could've had the nomination for the 1st District congressional seat that Braley gave up in fall 2014. She chose to stay in the Iowa Senate. After a 27-year career in TV news in northeast Iowa, the Cedar Rapids Democrat has near universal name ID in that part of the state — and a star quality that makes fellow Democratic candidates want her as reinforcement.
14. BILL KNAPP
He's in a class by himself. He knows everyone, pays attention, and in certain influential circles, his opinion carries weight. Although Knapp, 88, endorsed Republican Terry Branstad for governor in 2014, he spends too much on campaign politics for Democrats to ignore him.
15. SUE DVORSKY
No one can rally the troops like Dvorsky, 59. The former party chairwoman, an original Obama supporter, is a force in Johnson County politics and beyond. She's married to Bob Dvorsky, a state senator who helps keep the Democratic factions together.
16. MARCIA NICHOLS
She's one of the most powerful and respected people in the labor movement in Iowa. Nichols, 62, political director for AFSCME Iowa Council 61, is a tireless field organizer and a close ally to the union's president, Danny Homan. An endorsement from her, the union or both doesn't guarantee a win, but it delivers a lot.
17. MICHAEL GARTNER
The third-generation Iowa newspaperman and majority owner of the AAA Iowa Cubs baseball team is a sounding board for politicos, including Harkin and Vilsack. The 76-year-old Gartner is respected by donors, labor unions and Democratic activists of all types. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of Iowa politics, and he has minority ownership in a Des Moines weekly alternative newspaper, which gives him a voice in community affairs.
18. MONICA VERNON
The Cedar Rapids Democrat raised her profile and built strong connections during her primary campaign for Bruce Braley's old congressional seat in northeast Iowa. After she lost, she cheerfully joined a struggling gubernatorial campaign and worked her tail off getting to know Democratic voters across the state. Vernon, a 57-year-old former reporter and small business owner, is likely to run again for public office. She's a sorority sister of Democratic operative Teresa Vilmain, a Wisconsin resident who will also be influential in the 2016 Iowa caucuses.
19. FRED HUBBELL
He's influential with activists and the moneyed crowd alike. Hubbell, 63, donated more to Jack Hatch's race for governor than anyone but Hatch himself.
20. KURT MEYER
He's known for revitalizing Democratic politics in his northeast Iowa area, partly by combining forces in Worth, Mitchell and Howard counties to make the Tri-County Democratic Party. Meyer, 60, is a former staffer for then-U.S. Sen. John Culver and then-U.S. Rep. Mike Blouin. He has been a consultant to more than 300 nonprofit organizations over 30 years, and his wife, Paula, founded Friends of Ngong Road, an organization that provides education to AIDS orphans in Kenya.
MORE: Iowa Caucuses Homepage | 2016 Iowa Caucuses Tracker
21. ROB BARRON
Barron, a fourth-generation Mexican-American whose grandparents emigrated here 90 years ago, became the first Latino elected citywide in Des Moines history when he won a school board seat last year. Barron, 35, has a good statewide network, too, after 13 years as a Harkin staffer. He was a Harkinista before he graduated from college and eventually rose to state director.
22. ZACH WAHLS
Iowa's famous son of two moms has only become better-known since his viral speech to the Iowa House in 2011. The 23-year-old University of Iowa graduate just finished a summer internship at the White House and is now in the Truman-Albright Fellows Program. A Wahls endorsement in the Iowa caucuses could get national play and would mean a lot to young people. If he toured Iowa colleges, he'd get millennials to turn out.
23. JENNIFER HERRINGTON
This super-activist is chairwoman of the Page County Democrats but is known for brainstorming ways to do party building in neighboring areas in southwest Iowa, too. Herrington, a 54-year-old community mental health care center social worker, is an innovator with her own crew of hard-core Obama Democrats. The president once telephoned her to thank her for her work promoting Obamacare.
24. RICH EYCHANER
He's the most influential LGBT activist in the state, and he has money to back up his beliefs. Eychaner, 66, a developer, has influence with the business community, too.
25. TERI GOODMANN
She's a secret weapon in Dubuque, a Democratic stronghold that has recently lost ground to the GOP. Presidential hopefuls will seek out her counsel, but because Goodmann, 61, is now assistant city manager, she likely won't endorse or do campaign organizing. One exception: She'll back Biden, a close family friend since the 1980s, if he runs.
26. SOM BACCAM
She can gather a couple hundred Asian voters in a room to meet a presidential candidate. Baccam, 50, a former Broadlawns nurse who just won a seat on the Polk County public hospital's board, was one of the first Tai Dam refugees to arrive in Iowa in 1975. For Obama in 2008, she recruited votes from Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.
27. PAUL MCANDREW
The Iowa City-based workers compensation attorney is a progressive activist who raises money for candidates and causes, gets his hands dirty with political grunt work, and is a go-to guy for election law issues. McAndrew, 57, knows the system and gets things done. He was a John Edwards guy in 2008.
28. HARRY BOOKEY
He's a Des Moines developer and restaurant owner who donates to everyone and is listened to by everyone. Bookey, 66, is part of a power couple with his wife, Pam.
29. JOE HENRY
Henry, 58, is the state director for the League of United Latin American Citizens and a Des Moines real estate agent with lots of connections. He is sought after for advice on a niche market in Iowa politics: Hispanic voters.
MORE: Iowa Caucuses Homepage | 2016 Iowa Caucuses Tracker
30. AKO ABDUL-SAMAD
The Des Moines legislator is probably the closest thing Iowa has to a statewide leader of the African-American community. Abdul-Samad, 63, is one of the first people in Des Moines whom John Kerry's campaign brought on board. He was an Obama guy in 2008.
31. JILL JUNE
The former Planned Parenthood leader has the best Rolodex of women in the state. The June brand carries weight, and now that the 67-year-old is retired, she's free to be as political as she likes.
32. NATE WILLEMS
The former legislator and former field organizer for U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell is a labor attorney with a great grasp of eastern Iowa. Willems, a 35-year-old resident of Democratically important Linn County, has been mentioned for party chair.
33. JANET PETERSEN
Petersen, a 44-year-old state senator from Des Moines, is considered to be part of the next generation of Democratic political heavyweights in Iowa.
34. KIM WEAVER
A rare Democrat in western Iowa, she's the organizer of the SOLO Dems (of Sioux, Osceola, Lyon and O'Brien counties). Weaver, a 49-year-old long-term care ombudsman, is popular with activists statewide (she's a member of the state central committee and vice chair of the 4th District Democrats). And she's all over social media.
35. SANDY DOCKENDORFF
She straddles the line as both a local party leader in Des Moines County in southeast Iowa and an activist with statewide notoriety. Dockendorff, 57, is the Danville school board president and she has been the state party rules chair for eight years. She was a strong John Edwards campaign volunteer in 2008, but because she strives for neutrality in rules decisions, she likely won't endorse in 2016.
36. KIMBERLEY BOGGUS
Boggus, 35, is one of the stars of "Obamadale." She's a key Des Moines activist whose support for a presidential hopeful can bring along dozens more people from the Beaverdale neighborhood.
37. ALISON HART
Harkin Democrats consider her an institution. Hart, 51, worked in Harkin's Davenport office for nine years and has run southeast Iowa for the senator for the last five years, serving as his primary contact with political and community groups.
38. RAVI PATEL
The 29-year-old president of the rapidly growing Iowa City-based Hawkeye Hotels is increasingly making a footprint in Iowa politics as a host for political events. Patel, who was born in Arkansas but grew up in Burlington, considered a run for office this year, and Democratic activists are eager for him to go for it in the future. He owns a home in Cedar Rapids and is likely to be a player in 1st District politics.
PAID PROFESSIONAL OPERATIVES
39. JEFF LINK
He's one of the most highly respected Democratic operatives in Iowa politics. Link, 48, knows every major player and can open doors.
MORE:Iowa Caucuses Homepage | 2016 Iowa Caucuses Tracker
40. SAM ROECKER
Roecker, 26, has a four-year history as a campaign spokesman and is well-liked by the Iowa media. In the 2014 cycle, he jumped into the role of campaign manager for Dave O'Brien's congressional run. Democrats see him as a rising star in the operative world.
41. GRANT WOODARD
Woodard, 31, built extensive relationships across the state as campaign manager for governor nominee Jack Hatch, chief of staff to former Congressman Leonard Boswell and a 2008 Clinton campaign operative. He has been deep into politics since he was national president of the College Democrats in 2004.
42. JESSICA VANDEN BERG
She's a smart strategist who knows how to run a statewide campaign organization in Iowa. Vanden Berg, 39, is the founder of a direct mail and public affairs firm that provides advice on independent expenditures. She also knows the caucuses well as a former caucus director for the state party.
43. TROY PRICE
After stints as executive director of One Iowa, the state's leading gay rights advocacy organization, and Obama's 2012 political director, Price, 34, is one of the best connected and most popular Democratic strategists in Iowa. He's now executive director of the state party.
44. NORM STERZENBACH
He knows the mechanics of the Iowa caucuses and party business, and brings experience from his years as party executive director during the 2008 and 2012 presidential cycles. Sterzenbach, 39, is a principal at Groundswell Public Strategies.
45. DEREK EADON
He has a client base and relationships built through the Obama campaign, and as Midwest director for Ready for Hillary. Eadon, 30, runs Bluprint Strategies.
46. MOLLY SCHERRMAN
Of all the people in the state who raise Democratic money, she's considered the best. Scherrman, 33, knows field organizing and messaging — she was Bruce Braley's campaign manager in 2010 and deputy manager in 2014 — but the finance side is her strong suit. She's a former finance director for both Vilsack and Harkin.
47. KEVIN GEIKEN
He has personally trained hundreds of volunteers throughout Iowa and is known as a great motivator. Geiken, 33, is deputy director of the Iowa Democratic Party.
48. BRENDA KOLE
Fellow activists call Kole, 39, "queen bee" because she's the ultimate worker bee. She was the scheduling director for Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign and remains tight with former Clinton staffers. She also worked on Tom Vilsack's 2002 re-election campaign, Monica Vernon's 2014 congressional primary campaign, and Jack Hatch's 2014 gubernatorial campaign, as well as for the AFSCME labor union, Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America in Iowa.
49. JOE O'HERN
He's credited with putting together the largest field effort ever in a midterm election as the Iowa Democrats' deputy coordinated campaign director for 2014. O'Hern, 26, has valuable logistical knowledge of the state and worked nationally for a time.
50. SARAH BENZING
Although the latest campaign she managed, Bruce Braley's, was branded the worst U.S. Senate campaign in the country, Benzing has a good track record. The 37-year-old Neola native has led four U.S. Senate races and won three.
MORE: Iowa Caucuses Homepage | 2016 Iowa Caucuses Tracker
ABOUT THE WRITER
The Des Moines Register's list of the 50 Most Wanted Democrats was compiled and written by chief politics writer Jennifer Jacobs. She keeps tabs on all things political in Iowa. Contact her at jejacobs@dmreg.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JenniferJJacobs.