Kamala Harris must have impressed at yesterday’s West Des Moines picnic. Victor Dutchuk, the chair of the West Des Moines Democrats, endorsed Harris this morning after her speech to several hundred local Democrats at the annual event.
“Senator Harris is for the people, and I am for her,” said Dutchuk, a National Guard veteran. “Her focus on issues such as affordable healthcare, higher wages and quality education are just one example of the priorities she shares with everyday Americans.”
Harris was one of three presidential candidates who spoke at the West Des Moines Democrats’ well-attended event on Wednesday afternoon. Amy Klobuchar and Joe Sestak were also on hand. Dutchuk’s son introduced Harris to the crowd.
“I took on successfully, and I prosecuted the big banks when they preyed on homeowners. I’ve prosecuted the pharmaceutical companies when they preyed on seniors,” Harris said. “I know predators. And we have a predator living in the White House.”
The attendees responded strongly to Harris’ speech, many of whom were excited to see her following her standout performance in last week’s Democratic debates.
.@KamalaHarris gets passionate on the stump in West Des Moines, draws a standing ovation at the end #IACaucus pic.twitter.com/V1S1dzeoMo
— Iowa Starting Line (@IAStartingLine) July 3, 2019
“Senator Harris has demonstrated the courage to take on the most challenging and important issues – and the ability to stand toe to toe with any opponent,” Dutchuk said. “She has also shown us all that she has what it takes to call out President Trump and send him packing from Washington.”
Dutchuk’s support should be of particular importance for Harris in the Iowa Caucus, as West Des Moines has become a hotbed for Democratic activism in recent years. Local activists there organized to get the first African-American woman elected to the West Des Moines City Council in 2017, then followed it up with ousting an entrenched Iowa House Republican incumbent in 2018.
Once a reliably Republican suburb, West Des Moines has quickly turned into an important and growing Democratic stronghold in the metro area, one that will also deliver a fair share of delegates in the Iowa Caucus. Many of the newly-engaged activists are women, and this is a city that Hillary Clinton did well in during the 2016 caucus, and Barack Obama carried in 2008. It seems like the kind of region that Harris could build up a base of support for February’s Iowa Caucus.
Harris returned to Iowa this week for 4th of July festivities with significant new support in the lead-off caucus state. A poll put out Wednesday morning showed Harris surging to second place, ahead of Joe Biden, though essentially in a statistical tie with both Biden and Elizabeth Warren here.
by Pat Rynard
Photo by Julie Fleming
Posted 7/4/19
2 Comments on "WDM Dems Chair Endorses Kamala Harris After Picnic Visit"
Please clarify this story so people understand that WDM Dems are a club, not a County Party, and the Dutchuk is their club president, not a County Chair.
Thank you. I was concerned because I thought the county chair did not know about Kamala Harris’s past. I thought he didn’t know about her arresting parents of truant children without even checking to see if some of those kids were chronically sick. Those parents who working two full time jobs to put food on the table had to get money to pay for lawyers to represent them in court. She talks about going after big bank but what about her refusal to investigate Steve Mnuchin when he was president of OneWest bank and was illegally foreclosing on people’s homes. Steve Mnuchin is Trump’s treasury secretary and donated to Harris’s senatorial campaign. She talks about having a predictor in the White House but she doesn’t talk about ex San Diego mayor Bob Filner who was accused by 20 women of sedual harassment. She offered him a plea deal with no jail time and he avoided having to register as a sex offender. And what about the clergy in California who were abusing children. While other state attorneys general were pursuing these priests Kamala Harris called a halt. She also refused to investigate the company Herbalife. Mind you, she did against the advice of her staff.Finally, please research George Gage, Daniel Larsen, Kevin Cooper,et al to get the real story about her time as attorney general. The cruelty with which she wielded her power is staggering. If you were a person of means and power you got a pass,but if you were one of the little people trying to hold down two full time jobs or an innocent man who couldn’t afford a lawyer and tried to defend himself she stepped on you like you were ants. Please do your homework on tho woman. As a black,seventy four woman , and lifetime democrat I CANNOT and I WILL NOT vote for this woman.Thank you,K.Ward