Iowa City Press-Citizen Endorses Senator Amy Klobuchar for President
“Her track record in Minnesota shows her ability to appeal across urban, rural and progressive, moderate divides.”
DES MOINES, IA —Today, the Iowa City Press-Citizen’s editorial board endorsed Senator Amy Klobuchar for President. The Press-Citizen, which serves Iowa City, Johnson County, and portions of surrounding counties, cited Klobuchar’s history of passing bipartisan legislation and ability to beat Donald Trump as the primary reasons for their endorsement.
Their endorsement comes on the heels of endorsements from the Quad-City Times, the New York Times and three New Hampshire papers: the New Hampshire Union Leader, The Keene Sentinel, and the Seacoast Media Group.
Iowa City Press Citizen -- Press-Citizen Editorial Board endorses Amy Klobuchar for Iowa Caucus 2020
When Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota showed up in Iowa City in May 2019, she was just another presidential hopeful roaming the streets, but even then, she had the right thesis for Democrats in a post-2016 America:
"I truly believe if you are going to run for president, you should have some ideas. You should have a way to pay for them and a way to get them done," Klobuchar told a packed room at the Mill Restaurant on May 4, 2019.
A key point to Klobuchar's post-Trump America is nothing happens if we cannot get things done. That means flipping Republican seats in Congress, collaborating with Republicans when possible and, importantly, passing legislation. As the board sees it, the country needs change, but that change will only come from a party headed by a president who has the capacity to unify our country. That means avoiding candidates that scare off would-be collaborators.
She can beat Trump in the Midwest, which is key to winning the Electoral College as well as the popular vote.
Her track record in Minnesota shows her ability to appeal across urban, rural and progressive, moderate divides. In her 2006 race against Republican then U.S. Rep Mark Kennedy she won all but eight counties. In 2012, she beat her opponent Kurt Bills by 35 points, outperforming even President Barack Obama's reelection victory. While Republicans had a better year in 2018, she still held strong support in the Twin Cities and its suburbs.
While in Congress, she has shown a consistency in working the system to produce outcomes. From The 2018 Broadband Infrastructure Act to a bill to incent physicians to practice in under-served often rural communities, Klobuchar has moved the needle.
Many have decried Klobuchar as a moderate incrementalist, but she has shown she is willing to make big moves focused on making the process better. While she and the rest of her colleagues in the Senate are finding their work halted by Mitch McConnell, Klobuchar's 100-day plan details how she would use executive orders to get the U.S. back in the International Climate Agreements on day one — taking a step towards reclaiming our leadership on addressing the climate crisis. In addition, she would use executive orders to increase government cybersecurity, close the so-called 'boyfriend loophole' for firearms, end the separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border and restore requirements for the government to release annual reports on non-war zone strikes and assessments of civilian deaths resulting from those strikes. It should be noted that the balance of power needs to be addressed so change by executive order is last resort action. But so long as important bills end up rotting in McConnell's drawer, we are glad to support a candidate looking at all of her options.
While Klobuchar's proven track record in statewide elections and history of bipartisan legislation makes her a top choice, her campaign has struggled to gain national traction in the way that other candidates have. Her campaign should take note of these candidates' robust media outreach and ability to meet voters where they are to help ensure that her message is getting out to the groups she will need to win. Whatever the precincts report Monday night, Klobuchar will have to up her media game if she's going to be successful moving forward.
For these reasons, the board put itself behind Klobuchar — BUT caucusing for the right presidential nominee should be a small part of our area's participation in politics.
As always, the Press-Citizen Editorial Board nods to the national but wants to emphasize the local. On June 2, 2020 there will be a primary election for congressional, state legislative and county offices. On the November ballot, there will be more than just a president to pick.
If we believe in change, we must of course vote when the president is on the ballot. But that's the minimum. We have to show up and down the ballot especially outside presidential years.
