John Edwards for President-Edwards Campaign Announces Endorsements From 45 Iowa Leaders Who Backed Other Candidates In 2004

Edwards Campaign Announces Endorsements From 45 Iowa Leaders Who Backed Other Candidates In 2004

Dec 29, 2007 5:43 PM

Base of Support Expands as Edwards Offers Bolder Plans to Fight Special Interests in Washington

Des Moines, Iowa – The Edwards campaign today announced endorsements from 45 prominent labor, party, and community leaders and elected officials who supported other presidential candidates in 2004. These leaders' decision to switch their backing to Edwards in 2008 shows the expansion of his base of support since 2004, as Edwards' bold plans to take on the special interests in Washington attract leaders from around Iowa.

"I'm proud that so many Iowa leaders agree with my bold plans to fight for hard working, middle-class Americans against the big, powerful corporations that control Washington," Edwards said. "I am grateful for their support, and I know that together we can rise up to fix this country by guaranteeing universal health care, leveling the playing field for American workers, and achieving energy independence."

The support of Edwards by leaders who previously endorsed other candidates adds momentum to his surging campaign as Edwards brings his "America Rising: Fighting for the Middle Class" bus tour to 38 Iowa counties in the final eight days before caucus night. The last two polls indicate that Edwards has surged into a three-way tie for first place.

Among the 45 Iowa leaders now supporting Edwards, 15 endorsed Sen. John Kerry, 15 endorsed Gov. Howard Dean, and 15 endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt in 2004. The 45 leaders are:

Gov. Howard Dean

Phil Specht, State Central Committee member, Clayton County
Lonny Pulkrabek, Johnson County Sheriff, Johnson County
Gayle Tellin, County Supervisor, Fayette County
Georgie Klevar, Winneshiek County Vice-Chair, Winneshiek County
Russ Kettmann, County Sherriff, Jackson County
Sarah Swisher, 1st Vice Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, Political Director of SEIU, Johnson County
Esther Dean, County Supervisor, Muscatine County
Stacey Wachter, Des Moines County Democratic Central Committee Chair, Des Moines County
Wayne Shoultz, County Supervisor, Muscatine County
Don Paulson, Muscatine County Democratic Central Committee Co-Chair, Muscatine County
Donna Bushek, Former 2nd Ward Alderman, Scott County
John Nelson, Emmet Central Committee Chair, Emmet County
Pat Palmer, Hampton City Councilman, Franklin County
Daryl Beall, State Senator, Webster County
Greg Stevens, Former State Representative, Dickinson County

Rep. Dick Gephardt

Robert Bell, Chair Madison County Central Committee, Madison County
Doug Bishop, County Treasurer, Jasper County
David Baker, President, Teamsters Local 421 (individual endorsement), Dubuque County
Merle Duehr, President, United Steelworkers of America Local 1861U, Dubuque County
Jerry Kearns, United Steelworkers, Business Representative, Lee County
Walt Knapper, SEIU Local 199 Vice President, Clinton County
Jerry Messer, UFCW Local 431, Political Director, Scott County
Skip McGill, United Steelworkers Local 105, President, Scott County
Bill Clevenger, United Steelworkers Local 8581, President, Muscatine County
Kevin Johnson, UAW Local 807 President, Des Moines County
Ann Hutchinson, Former Mayor of Bettendorf, Scott County
Al Anderson, North Iowa Nine Labor Council President; Local 9310 USW of America President, Cerro Gordo County
Wes Whitead, State Representative, Woodbury County
Lori Hays, Former UAW Local President, Union County
John Campbell, Political Director, United Steelworkers of Iowa, Polk County

Sen. John Kerry

Dewey Donnelly, Former Supervisor, Buchanan County
Alfred Hotchkiss, Mayor, Buchanan County
Susan Salter, President of Iowa Hawk-I Board, Linn County
Mark Pape, Maquoketa School District Board Member, Jackson County
Dennis Starling, County Supervisor, Clinton County
Wayne Hean, Former 5th Ward Alderman, Scott County
Kas Kelly, Chair for Board of County Supervisors, Muscatine County
Kendra Wyse, Former Henry County Democratic Central Committee Chair, Henry County
William Ell, Mayor of Burlington, Des Moines County
Jim Schroeder, Mayor, Clinton County
Greg Kenning, County Supervisor, Wapello County
Kathy Graves, Emmet Central Committee Vice-Chair, Emmet County
Jon Crews, Mayor, Black Hawk County
Ruth Ann Loebach, Kossuth Central Committee Secretary, Kossuth County
Donna Clothier, Shelby County Chair, Shelby County