Handshakes and public gatherings are not an option for politicians in the age of Covid-19 — so the candidates competing in Iowa’s June 2nd primaries are trying to make digital connections.
“We’re having to adapt like everybody else and so campaigning means doing interviews and town halls online,” J.D. Scholten, the Democrat running for congress in Iowa’s fourth district, said recently during a Facebook live event.
Southwest Iowa Democrats organized an online forum Sunday afternoon with all five of the Democrats who are running for the U.S. Senate. Joey Norris, chairman of Montgomery County Democrats, nudged the crowd watching online.
“All right,” Norris said. “Everybody give a nice, silent, virtual hand clap.”
On Sunday evening, the five Republicans running in Iowa’s fourth congressional district participated in a virtual forum hosted by Crawford County Republicans. Gwen Ecklund of the Crawford County Republican Women opened by saying plans for the event were changed because of the pandemic, “so tonight’s panel are all safely participating in their homes or offices, communicating via Zoom.”
The event was broadcast live on KDSN Radio and about 120 people watched it live online. Early voting has already started for the June 2nd primary.