County Democrat and Republican leaders report favorable turn-out for December 15 caucus events
Even with temperatures dipping below zero and wind chills hitting double-digit marks below zero, in addition to a difference in business conducted, both the Allamakee County Democrat and Republican parties reported favorable turn-out for their respective Monday, January 15 caucus events held in designated locations throughout Allamakee County. The Republican caucus featured declaration of preference for President of the United States among six listed candidates, while this year’s Democrat caucus focused more on business matters for the political party, with the traditional candidate selection for Democrats this year instead being offered through a Presidential Preference Card mail-in process ongoing through February 19 of this year.
REPUBLICAN CAUCUS
Within the Republican caucus results, Allamakee County trended toward the statewide results of making Donald Trump the top selection out of the parties’ six candidates, but to a greater degree than the statewide average of 51.0%. A result of 66.9% (353 votes) of Allamakee County Republicans made Trump their top choice, a percentage that ranked within the top 20 of all of Iowa’s 99 counties.
Also similar to statewide trends, Ron DeSantis finished second among Allamakee County Republicans (15.5%, 82 votes), but a bit lower than his statewide average of 21.2%. Nikki Haley came in third with 56 votes (10.6%) among Allamakee County Republicans, also lower than her statewide selection of 19.1%.
Although placement within the six-candidate Republican line-up for the three remaining candidates was the same for Allamakee County in comparison to statewide results, that placement came at somewhat differing percentages. The fourth-place finish by Vivek Ramaswamay came at a 7.7% approval statewide but only by a 4.5% approval (24 votes) among Allamakee County Republicans. In an opposite trend, fifth-place finisher Ryan Binkley received a larger percentage of approval from Allamakee County Republicans (2.5%, 13 votes) than he did statewide (0.7%), and Asa Hutchinson was not selected at all by Allamakee County voters while receiving just 0.2% of the statewide result.
Within the results from across the state of Iowa, Keokuk County in southeast Iowa had the highest selection percentage (74.6%) for Trump with 285 votes cast for him in that county. Story County dealt Trump the lowest percentage of its Republican votes (33.9%), although he still finished first in that county at a percentage rate lower than the only county he did not win, which was Johnson County, where he and Haley actually tied percentage-wise (35.5%) with Haley edging out a win over Trump by one vote, 1,271-1,270.
That Johnson County win provided Haley with her highest voter percentage in all of Iowa’s 99 counties. Not winning any counties, but finishing second in a majority of them, DeSantis recorded his highest vote percentage (29.4%) in Ringgold County in southwest Iowa, garnering just 65 votes among Republicans in that county.
DEMOCRAT CAUCUS
Karen Pratte, Co-Chair of the Allamakee County Democrats, said that caucus turnout exceeded expectations. “What has motivated Democrats is the hard right extremism which has taken over the government in Iowa,” she said. “I still believe Iowans are compassionate, tolerant, and care about one another, but unfortunately, the laws passed by the Republicans do not reflect those values.”
Pratte said that getting involved in grassroots organizing (such as what takes place at the caucus) is vital to returning Iowa to the state which lives up to its motto of “Our Liberties we prize and our Rights we will maintain.” A first-time teenage caucus goer explained that she was caucusing because women’s rights to an abortion are being taken away and that her LGBTQ friends are now afraid and feel they must conceal who they are. She spoke of Christian Nationalism imposing their doctrine into laws where there is no longer a separation of church and state.
Caucus-goers met with their precincts to conduct party business of electing Delegates and Alternates to the County Convention, electing Precinct Committee Persons to the County Central Committee and to propose Platform Resolutions.
The discussion of Resolutions to the Party Platform was the focus for many at the caucus. The Party Platform is a statement of values, principles and policies Democrats stand for. According to Pratte, attendees discussed the following:
• Fully funding public schools and opposition to private school vouchers. Diverting the public’s money to private schools, many of which are in Iowa’s large cities, is harmful to the local communities’ schools.
• Area Educational Agencies (AEAs) and opposition to proposed funding cuts and limiting services. AEAs provide invaluable services which include mental health, speech therapy, occupational therapy, services to hearing-impaired students and special needs students. Small school districts in rural counties would never have the money to provide these services.
• Women’s Rights and Reproductive Freedom. Iowa Republicans passed a six-week abortion ban which essentially eliminates a woman’s right to an abortion. As one woman stated, “Politicians should not be controlling women’s health care decisions.”
• Raising the Minimum Wage and Support for Livable Wage with Benefits. Iowa has not raised the minimum wage since 2008, and it continues to be stuck at $7.25 an hour.
• Medicare negotiating for lower drug prices and a $35 cap on insulin. Democrats support President Biden’s law of negotiating with big pharmaceutical companies for lower drug costs and extending this negotiating process to all drugs.
• Protecting Social Security and Medicare. Democrats stand in opposition to Republicans’ efforts to raise the age to receive benefits, privatization, and cuts to benefits.
• Feeding Iowa’s children and families and opposition to cuts to SNAP and WIC. Food Insecurity is growing in Iowa and Governor Reynolds and Republican lawmakers passed a law making it harder for families to access SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). WIC (Women Infant Children) funding is stalled in Congress. Food insecurity has been exasperated by Governor Reynolds rejecting federal money to feed hungry children during the summer months.
The Allamakee Democrats will hold their County Convention Saturday, March 23 at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon. They also meet February 8 and encourage anyone interested in learning more about their county party to attend a meeting.
Iowa Democrats can request a Presidential Preference Card (ballot) using this link: https://iowademocrats.org/caucus/. The Presidential Preference Cards (ballots) can be requested until February 19.
