October 10, 1999

Bradley, Gore forces gearing up
for support on caucus night

By Amanda Novak
CyberCaucus 2000 News Service
Drake University

DES MOINES, Iowa--The Democratic party in Iowa and the candidates, former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley and Vice President Al Gore, are gearing up for the Iowa caucuses, the first big battle in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. While the Democratic Party workers are focusing their energy on their annual fundraiser, the Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner, the candidates are targeting Democrats throughout the state.

The Democratic party is beginning precinct organization at the county level with the county chairpersons talking to local Democrats. But party workers have been focusing their energy on the dinner, where 2,500 people from around the state and nation will come to show support for the party. The dinner will be the first time in 30 years that a Democratic governor will be present.

This is one of the largest media events the party will hold in Iowa before the 2000 caucuses and is important to both the Bradley and Gore campaigns.

Jud Lounsbury, communications director for the Gore 2000 campaign in Iowa, said Gore supporters are preparing for the caucuses by encouraging undecided Democrats to support Gore's campaign.

"We have field staff and phone banks that talk to Democrats and identify the supporters. They find the undecided supporters and the Gore supporters and then we try to convince those who are undecided to vote for Gore," Lounsbury said. The campaign staff members, according to Lounsbury, have a good idea of who the Gore supporters are across the state.

Most people who attend the caucuses are actively involved in politics, Lounsbury said.

"It is a small number of people participating in the caucuses," he said. "There are 500,000 registered Democrats ion Iowa. The committed Gore supporters will be the ones that will turn out on caucus night. And with those people, we want to make sure that they know where they are going and that they have a ride," Lounsbury said.

According to Claire Celsi, assistant to the state director, the Gore campaign is focusing on several key voter groups, including women, minorities, labor unions, veterans, teachers and people 65 years old and older.

"Definitely a big group is women, because they are more than half of the population," Celsi said. "The next big group is labor unions. This includes firefighters, United Steelworkers, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, United Auto Workers. Racial minorities are another important group."

Celsi added that "veterans are another important group. Then there is the gay and lesbian community. This is a really active group. Traditionally, the Democratic Party has offered a bigger umbrella for people of different backgrounds," Celsi said.

"The elderly is another key group. Voters are the most active at the age of 65. People do most of the voting at the retirement age. They are more active, because the government has more control over their lives," Celsi said.

The Gore 2000 campaign has not yet started large telemarketing and advertising campaigns. "People in Iowa don't respond to blanket candidate advertising. They focus more on the issues. In Iowa, grassroot politics is where it is at," Celsi said.

According to Maureen Monahan, Iowa press secretary for Bill Bradley for president, the Bradley forces are preparing for the caucuses by getting the candidate out to meet the people. They have found that when Bradley meets people, they really like him.

"The most effective means for Iowans and people from New Hampshire is for the people to have the opportunity to see him," Monahan said.

Bradley has visited Iowa at least 14 times and has gone into communities, encouraging the local radio stations and newspapers to cover the event.