Fourteen candidates are set to speak tonight at the Iowa Democratic Party’s annual fall fundraiser in Des Moines, but some of the campaigns aren’t waiting until the doors of Wells Fargo Arena open at 4:30 for the event.
Some of the campaigns put up signs in downtown Des Moines yesterday. Joe Biden’s campaign projected the image of Biden’s aviator sunglasses onto buildings last night. Before dawn this morning, supporters of Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg were at key downtown Des Moines intersections, waving signs and chanting.
This afternoon’s “pre-parties” will feature musicians like the lead singer from Weezer at Andrew Yang’s gathering and Ben Harper performing at Buttigieg party. Amy Klobuchar is having an “after party” this evening since she’s among the last speakers at the fundraiser.
“We have the only certified Prince band, not just here but in the world,” Klobuchar told supporters last night. “It’s an amazing band and they came down from Minnesota.”
In other campaign developments early this morning, Elizabeth Warren released her proposals to pay for her “Medicare for All” plan. She’d have businesses pay Medicare what they’re paying now in private insurance premiums for workers. Warren said the rest would be financed by targeted cuts in defense spending and new taxes on the super rich, financial firms and the largest U.S. corporations.