With Warren and Sanders on his heels, Biden ramps up Iowa organization

[highplainsdem]

https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/campaigns/article234806587.html

Joe Biden is flooding Iowa with more organizers than any of his rivals. He’s spending big on TV ads highlighting his personal tragedies. And he’s wooing former supporters of Bernie Sanders to tout his progressive bonafides.

Five months out from the start the 2020 Democratic primaries, the former vice president is attempting to lock down his softest support in the early voting states as quickly as possible as he braces for a fluid fall campaign. Biden’s consistently led in most polls, but his campaign is already tamping down expectations in Iowa and New Hampshire as local Democrats warn that he is falling behind other candidates in organizing.

-snip-

Biden’s campaign contends its increasing their level of engagement at a time when more people are tuning in to the 2020 race. On Monday, it announced it now has 110 full-time staff in Iowa, with more than 80 field organizers and 22 offices around the state. Rather than flooding local events like the Warren campaign, its leadership said it is focused on the less visible work of finding a captain for each caucus precinct and identifying persuadable Republicans and independents, an overlooked caucus segment that made up 23 percent of participants in 2008.

With the Democratic contest calcifying around three top candidates, Biden aides believe their candidate’s positioning as a centrist will ultimately serve as a bulwark against two progressives.

“No one has ever won the Iowa caucuses without being competitive among moderate and conservative voters,” said one Iowa aide to Biden.

But that doesn’t mean they aren’t making a play for the progressive wing.

Frantz Whitfield, a Baptist minister in Waterloo, Iowa, backed Sanders in 2016, calling him “the perfect choice” for president.

This cycle, he’s switched his alliance to Biden. After regular calls and texts from Biden staffers, he agreed to be a surrogate for the campaign.

“This time we need to be realistic,” Whitfield said. “Realistically, Joe Biden is the only one who can beat Donald Trump.”

[Cha]

1. I should hope so!

Good to hear.. thank you!

[Thirties Child]

2. I remember Bernie trying to get Elizabeth to run in 2016

I remember he only jumped into the race when she refused. Didn't trust my memory so checked and found this:


"[Bill] Press said that Sanders felt passionately that progressive issues such as stemming income inequality should be front and center in the Democratic primary.

“Somebody had to do it, and if somebody else did it, fine,” Press said. “If Elizabeth Warren had run, I’m pretty confident in saying Bernie Sanders never would have run.”

USA TODAY Published 2:08 p.m. ET Feb. 15, 2016 | Updated 2:12 p.m. ET Feb. 15, 2016

[George II]

3. He's actually had a pretty strong organization in Iowa already. Of course he's not claiming...

...that he has "25,000" volunteers.

[bootcamp]

4. Realistically, Biden could soundly defeat Trump..

..even if the economy remains fairly healthy since conservative Dems, and even some independent Republicans will switch party and vote for him. Though I respects and like Warren and Bernie, I just do not believe they would muster enough support from these groups in a fairly health economy.

[peggysue2]

6. Go get 'em, Joe!

[NYMinute]

7. All Biden has to do is hold on to the lead

and this will make it happen.