DAY NINETEEN - THERESA GREENFIELD
Day Nineteen | Theresa Greenfield | Iowa Senate
452 Sawbuck Patriots | $4835 pledged today | $104,640 donated overall
Team:
THANK YOU. Look at that number up there to the right - you're part of a scrappy little project that, in fewer than three weeks, has sent more than a hundred thousand dollars to competitive races where Democrats can win. That money is hard at work today, registering voters, building get out the vote plans, and showcasing the differences between our D candidates and their R opponents.
If you're feeling good about what you've done with SP, please consider asking a friend or two if they want to join us in helping create a real impact in important races. More members = more impact!
But we're one day closer to the election, so - back to work!
THE SITUATION: Iowa. Where it all starts every four years. Back in November '19, I had the privilege of visiting this state with a pal as we went to stump on behalf of Kamala Harris' presidential run. I loved my chilly strolls and picturesque drives around Des Moines, had a great time watching the candidates make their cases at the Liberty and Justice Fundraiser, and got to meet some Iowans as I knocked on doors and made my pitch.
Four years ago in Iowa, Trump got 51% of the vote, but Iowa's demographics have evened out a bit as of late. Forty-one percent of adult Iowans call themselves Republicans; forty percent Dems. That's a LOT of independents, y'all. And independents are ... well ... independent. (And the Iowa millennials are swinging HARD Democrat, which is a national trend, and quite pronounced here.)
As of this moment, Iowa is a lean R state for the presidential, but polling data has our D Senate challenger neck and neck with (or slightly ahead of) the R incumbent - and all the handicappers have this race as basically a jump ball. This is one of those places where, if we get the Senate seat, Mitch McConnell might realize his brutally clever reign of legislative constipation has come to a sudden (and permanent?) end.
THE COMPETITION: Senator Joni Ernst. A canny political operator, Ernst was previously a state senator, and won a tough race to go to the US Senate six years ago. She's preaching from the standard Republican playbook, as so many R's (especially in the Senate) are these days: anti-choice, opposes net neutrality, has called for marriage to be between one man and one woman, called Obama a "dictator" and someone who "isn't following the Constitution" (let's all pause for a knowing belly-laugh here, shall we?), has praised Trump for his COVID-19 response, supports open carry, wants to eliminate the Federal Department of Education, and apparently angled to be named Trump's Vice President. Whoooo! Her re-elect website claims she's an independent Iowan, but the stats show that she's voting with a lil' fella named Mitch McConnell just about 99% of the time.
(Narrator voice: "Open-quote 'independent' close-quote.")
If all that weren't enough, Ernst supported the recently-successfully-primaried and consistently racist Iowa congressman Steve King, endorsing him on various occasions, and pretending he wasn't actually a leading eugenics fan. Great judgement, Senator Ernst!
OUR CANDIDATE: Theresa Greenfield. President of a small business, mom of four, former farmgirl, current feminist, refuser of corporate PAC money (which I know is a big "I'll donate more than $10" flag for many of you - THANK YOU!), supporter of the public insurance option, and a human with a compelling personal tragedy story you can read about if you wanna. Further, she's plenty bold enough to lead: in IOWA, which is 90%+ white and about three percent black, she's prominently featuring the importance of racial justice for Black Iowans in her campaign. Whatever the opposite of pandering is, that's what she's doing. (I think the opposite of pandering is Doing The Right Thing.)
A solid D can win an Iowa Senate seat; Tom Harkin represented this state in the Senate from the '80s until he chose to retire ahead of the '14 race. And looking at the fundraising, demographic trends, Ernst's record, the mounting frustration with Trump by those somewhat-conservative-but-mostly-sensible humans, and a survey that shows that Senator Ernst is somehow the third most unpopular Senator in the nation (and just think of the spectacular competition for that honor!), THE MATH SAYS SHE CAN WIN.
Sawbuck Patriots, it’s go time: click HERE and send $10 (or more!) to Theresa's campaign. Our collective effort will invest today.
Thank you. See you tomorrow!
- Alex
Day nineteen: Theresa Greenfield | Iowa Senate | 452 Sawbuck Patriots | $4835| DONATE
Day eighteen: Hiral Tipirneni | AZ-06 | 441 Sawbuck Patriots | $4975 | DONATE
Day seventeen: Ricky Hurtado | NC Statehouse | 430 Sawbuck Patriots | $5495 | DONATE
Day sixteen: Kara Eastman | NE-02 | 420 Sawbuck Patriots | $4730 | DONATE
Day fifteen: Abby Finkenauer | IA-01 | 410 Sawbuck Patriots | $4790 | DONATE
Day fourteen: Carolyn Bourdeaux | GA-07 | 404 Sawbuck Patriots | $5235 | DONATE
Day thirteen: Biden/Harris | the Presidency | 401 Sawbuck Patriots | $28,630 | DONATE
Day twelve: Joe Cunningham | SC-01 | 390 Sawbuck Patriots | $4445 | DONATE
Day eleven: Doug Jones | Alabama Senate | 363 Sawbuck Patriots | $5170 | DONATE
Day ten: Kendra Horn | OK-05 | 348 Sawbuck Patriots | $3990 | DONATE
Day nine: Princess Bride Reunion | Wisconsin | 334 Sawbuck Patriots | $4680 | DONATE
Day eight: Cristina Hale | IN-05 | 324 Sawbuck Patriots | $3745 | DONATE
Day seven: Wendy Davis | TX-21 | 311 Sawbuck Patriots | $4180| DONATE
Day six: Xochitl Torres Small | NM-02 | 293 Sawbuck Patriots | $3535 | DONATE
day five: Mark Kelly | Arizona Senate | 268 Sawbuck Patriots | $4875 | DONATE
day four: Brynne Kennedy | CA-4 | 239 Sawbuck Patriots | $3185 | DONATE
day three: Max Rose | NY-11 | 208 Sawbuck Patriots | $2770 | DONATE
day two: Sara Gideon | Maine Senate | 161 Sawbuck Patriots | $3350 | DONATE
day one: Candace Valenzuela | TX-24 | 109 Sawbuck Patriots | $2025 | DONATE