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Potential 2020 presidential candidate Castro says people ready for new generation of leaders

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Julian Castro

Former San Antonio Mayor and possible 2020 presidential candidate Julian Castro today said it’s time for a “blueprint for the future” rather than the “backward” path he says GOP leaders in Washington, D.C. are pursuing.

“I believe that the goal of this country should be to become the strongest, the smartest and the safest country in the world,” Castro said. “…As we become smarter, we become stronger. As we develop our alliances around the world, instead of tearing them down, we become safer.”

Castro spoke on The Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair early this afternoon. Castro is a former Obama Administration official who is making it clear he’s considering a run for president in 2020.

“I’m going to make a decision after November and before the end of the year and based on that, if I decide to run, then I’ll make an announcement shortly after,” Castro told reporters. “…I believe that the 2020 race is wide open. I’m convinced that people want a new generation of leadership.”

During his speech to fairgoers, the 43-year-old laid out policy goals, including some form of “Medicare for All,” universal preschool, at least two free years of college and criminal justice reform.

“Because everybody counts in this country,” Castro said, to applause. “We can’t waste anyone.”

Castro served as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama Administration. Castro Castro’s twin brother is a Democratic congressman representing the San Antonio area in the U.S. House.

Bullock says ‘dark money’ is corrupting government

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Steve Bullock

Montana Governor Steve Bullock says “dark money” and unlimited corporate spending on elections have fundamentally changed how our government works.

“Think about this recent tax cut that happened — $1.9 trillion in debt onto our kids and grandkids. Senator Graham said: ‘We have to do this to…appease our donors,'” Bullock said today on The Des Moines Registers’ Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair.

Bullock filed a lawsuit this summer challenging the IRS decision that certain political organizations known as 501(c) groups will no longer have to reveal who their donors are to the IRS.

“Think about this: now, truly a Russian couuld write a check and influence our elections. We would never even know,” Bullock said. “…This rule had been around since 1971. Richard Nixon wasn’t exactly the model of good government and transparency.”

And Bullock argued none of the big issues facing the country can be addressed until money “is no longer allowed to corrupt the system.”

Bullock spent the past couple of days campaigning with Iowa Democrats and visiting with State Fair-goers. Bullock said during his “Soapbox” speech that Democrats need to figure out how to connect with Trump voters at the local level. Bullock is the only Democratic governor who was reelected in a state Trump won in 2016.

“The Democratic Party didn’t necessarily change,” Bullock said. “We just haven’t been able to figure out the ways to be speaking to people off of the coasts and if we can’t speak the language of the people of Iowa and Michigan and Wisconsin and others, even if you can get an electoral majority, you’re never going to have a governing majority.”

Bullock, though, isn’t ready to talk about whether he’ll run for president in 2020. The two fairgoers who asked the governor questions during his “Soapbox” appearance both asked about his 2020 intentions.

“I do have a story of how I’ve been able to bring people together and I think that’s, in part, what our country desperately needs,” Bullock said and many the crowd applauded. “…Right now, what I’m doing is listening and that’s honestly as far as it goes.”

Another out-of-state Democratic office-holder visiting the fair yesterday gave a strong answer to the “will you run?” question.

“I’m not running for president,” Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said, with a laugh. “No, I’m not.”

Walsh said he came west to help Iowa Democratic Party candidates who’re on the 2018 ballot.

Summertime events in Iowa featuring 2020 presidential prospects

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Attorney Michael Avenatti and former Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge visit in Iowa State Fair livestock pavilion.

Democratic candidates weighing their prospects for the 2020 presidential race were in Iowa this weekend.

Michael Avenatti, the attorney representative an adult film star who’s suing President Trump, spoke Friday night at the annual “Wing Ding” north central Democrats held in Clear Lake.

“What I fear for this Democratic Party that I love so much is that we have a tendency to bring nail clippers to a gun fight,” Avenatti said, drawing laughter and applause from the crowd. “…I believe that our party, the Democratic Party, must be a party that fights fire with fire.”

On Saturday, New York businessman Andrew Yang visited the State Fair. Yang, who announced early this year that he was running for president, argues there will be a massive loss of jobs as the economy evolves, so the government must take steps to ensure a basic income for every American between the ages of 18 and 64.

“Which now a friend is asking me to call ‘The Tech Check,'” Yang said, in an interview with Radio Iowa as he explained the concept, “which is that every American adult, every adult in Iowa receives $1000 a month free and clear, paid by the companies that benefit the most from automation, so that people can make plans for the future with a degree of security.”

John Delaney

On Sunday, Maryland Congressman John Delaney crossed a milestone when he visited his 99th county in Iowa. Delaney, who announced he was running for president about a year ago, also toured the Iowa State Fair and delivered a campaign-style speech at The Des Moines Register’s Soapbox.

“If you want a government that will actually represent you and bring us together, then I encourage you to get on board with us,” Delaney said to conclude his remarks. “…That’s why going to 99 counties in Iowa. That’s why we’re out early because I’m a different kind of Democrat and I have a different kind of message.”

California Congressman Eric Swalwell, a native of Sac City, has visited the state seven times since early 2017. During a speech Saturday on The Des Moines Register’s Soapbox at the State Fair, Swalwell suggested the 2018 election is setting the stage for 2020.

Eric Swallwel

“We’ve got about 80-some odd days to go until we start to see change in Iowa and change in America and, along the way, we must keep resisting,” Swalwell said. “It’s your resisting that is working.”

A few other potential presidential candidates of the future are due in Iowa this week. California billionaire Tom Steyer, Montana Governor Steve Bullock and former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro are all Democrats. Vice President Mike Pence is also slated to speak at an event in Des Moines on Wednesday.

Delaney says Democrats should campaign everywhere

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Maryland Congressman John Delaney announced he was running for president about a year ago and after he visits Carroll this weekend, he will have make a campaign stop in each Iowa county.

“On Sunday, we’re going to cross the finish line on our 99th county,” Delaney said. “…I think Democrats should campaign everywhere, right? There’s no reason why the message of the Democratic Party or at least the message we need going forward doesn’t sell in every district in this country.”

Delaney argues “hyper-partisan politics” has damaged the basic functions of government and voters want action, not more talking and more fighting.

“So many Americans are concerned about what’s happening, how our the norms in our society are being degraded, how our position around the world is being reduced, how things aren’t getting done for them,” Delaney said this morning. “This is our opportunity to campaign in places we haven’t been able to campaign in a long time and what’s happening right now with trade and tariffs gives us an amazing opportunity to campaign all across Iowa.”

Delaney supports universal preschool, universal health care and he said it’s time to significantly increase spending on basic infrastructure and provide incentives for private capitol investment in economically depressed areas. According to Delaney, 80 percent of the investments in start-ups last year went to businesses in just 50 U.S. counties.

“What voters are looking for…(are) some fairly y basic things,” Delaney said. “…They want us to get real things done that make a different in their lives.”

John Delaney

Delaney spoke late this morning at The Des Moines Registers’ Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair. Near the end of his speech, John Boehner, the former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, walked up to the outdoor venue. Boehner visited his friend Tom Latham (LAY-thum), the former Iowa congressman, last night and Boehner said he’s on his way to Omaha later today to help a Republican congressman there raise money.

Boehner told reporters his fellow Republicans “have their hands full” when it comes to keeping GOP control of the U.S. House and Boehner voiced concern about President Trump’s approach to international trade.

“I think I would do this a little differently. I always thought you caught more bees with honey than you do with vinegar,” Boehner said. “…Let’s get this issue resolved. Get to the table and get it resolved.”

Boehner said he doesn’t have a vote and will let Republican House members decide among themselves who should be their future leader. Current House Speaker Paul Ryan, who took over from Boehner, is not seeking reelection this fall.

Stormy Daniels’ attorney in Iowa, signaling 2020 interest

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Attorney Michael Avenatti and former Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge visit in Iowa State Fair livestock pavilion.

The attorney representing adult film star Stormy Daniels in her legal battle with the president is in Iowa and Michael Avenatti is making it clear the trip shows he is “seriously considering” running for president.

“It’s going to be a very broad field in 2020…and I think the Democrats had better be sure that whoever they nominate can actually beat Donald Trump,” Avenatti said during an interview with Radio Iowa.

Avenatti, who worked briefly for Missouri Congressman Dick Gephardt after Gephardt won the 1988 Iowa Caucuses, visited the Iowa State Fair today and met with Democratic Party activists.

On Friday, he will speak at the annual “Wing Ding” in Clear Lake, a fundraiser for Democrats from several north central Iowa counties.

Avenatti said Democrats today must fashion a message to appeal to Americans who are economically insecure.

“I think it means that you are constantly fighting for Davids versus Goliaths,” Avenatti told Radio Iowa.

Avenatti suggested his legal work and media appearances on behalf of his client, Stormy Daniels, show he has the skills to match Trump on the political stage.

“I think you trump Trump in the way that you do with most bullies and that is you take the fight directly to him and you don’t back down,” Avenatti said. “And I think as has been demonstrated over the last five to six months, we’ve had a significant degree of success in the way that we’ve dealt with him.”

Avenatti also pointed to the 16 “very experienced politicians” Trump beat to win the Republican Party’s presidential nomination and he warned Democrats had better not be “squeamish” about selecting the kind of candidate who can do battle with Trump.

“We should not nominate someone, necessarily, that would make the best president because the person that would make the best president may not be able to beat Donald Trump,” Avenatti said, “in which case it doesn’t mean a lot.”

Avenatti isn’t the only potential presidential candidate of the future scheduled to speak in Clear Lake Friday evening at The Surf Ballroom. Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan and businessman Andrew Yang will appear at the event, too, alongside Maryland Congressman John Delaney who already has declared he’s running for president and aims to visit his 99th Iowa county on Sunday.

Eric Branstad likely to manage Trump’s 2020 Iowa campaign

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Eric Branstad

Eric Branstad, the state director for Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, is signalling he will likely manage Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign in Iowa. Branstad is the oldest son of Terry Branstad, the former Iowa governor who is now U.S. Ambassador to China.

“When dad was in the Oval Office a few weeks ago, he said that the president asked if I would do Iowa in 2020 and dad said he couldn’t answer for me, but he was sure that if I was asked by (Trump), I would do it,” Eric Branstad said earlier today. “…Dad is likely right.”

Branstad said he’s been to Trump Tower recently to discuss the 2020 campaign. Branstad spoke at the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale, sharing details of his work on Trump’s 2016 campaign. Trump finished ahead of Hillary Clinton here by 9.5 percent.

“Every time I see the president, the number goes up a little bit…The last time I saw him, we won Iowa by 11, so I don’t correct him,” Branstad said, laughing along with the crowd. “…Now, I just have to make sure we win by even more in 2020.”

Branstad first met Trump in person on April 8, 2015, when Branstad was lobbying for the renewable fuels industry and asking all the presidential candidates to support ethanol. Branstad’s wife delivered a speech on behalf of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie when the couple attended their 2016 precinct caucus, while Eric Branstad spoke for Trump.

“There’s a lot of reasons why I supported him early and I why became, and still am, such a passioante fan. I was so tired of all of the political talk…It was such a refresh for me to have a candidate that actually answered the questions…that wasn’t focused on what the polling said or what his donors thought,” Branstad said, “because he didn’t care.”

In May of 2016, Branstad was hired as Trump’s state director for the General Election. Branstad said at the end of September, 2016 he was secretly dispatched to Wisconsin so as not to signal the campaign thought it had Iowa won. Branstad said the best advice he got was from a former Wisconsin governor, who suggested Trump hold a rally in Minneapolis right before the Election, to boost turn-out in western Wisconsin.

“I remember the media all saying: ‘Ha, ha, ha. Does (Trump) think he’s going to win Minnesota?’…Mocking us and laughing at us, when certainly, as you all know now, that wasn’t the intent,” Branstad said. “It was to do well in Wisconsin and we sure did.”

According to Branstad, Trump beat Romney’s numbers in western Wisconsin by 12,000 votes — and Trump wound up winning Wisconsin by 10,000 votes.

Branstad served a year in the Trump Administration as a top aide in the Commerce Department before resigning in early 2017 and returning to Iowa. Branstad said his life “has been a complete whirlwind” since he joined the Trump campaign in mid-2016.

Trump brings ‘Make Our Farmers Great Again!’ cap to Iowa

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President Donald Trump in Peosta.

President Donald Trump today said the United States “has all the cards” as his administration seeks to re-negotiate trade agreements around the globe.

“We don’t have one trade deal that’s any good. Between NAFTA, which was a horrible deal and we’re getting close on that, but we’re making it good,” Trump said during an appearance iu northeast Iowa. “…But the biggest one of all happened yesterday, other than China, the E.U., a thing called Europe.”

Trump struck a deal with a top European Union official yesterday (Wednesday) with the ultimate goal of erasing all tariffs between the U.S. and the E.U., but in the near term, Europe is to buy billions of bushels of U.S. soybeans.

“We just opened up Europe for you farmers,” Trump said. “You’re not going to be too angry with Trump, I can tell you.”

Trump visited the Northeast Iowa Community College in Peosta today for a round table discussion about workforce development. Trump brought a new version of his campaign hats to the table.

“It’s the John Deere colors, actually,” Trump said, holding the cap up for the crowd to see.

“‘Make Our Farmers Great Again!'” Trump said, reading the slogan on the cap out loud. “Isn’t that great?”

Trump told the crowd he is “taking care of your ethanol,” too.

“I’m very close, I have to tell you, to pulling off something that you’ve been looking forward to for many years and that’s the 12-month E-15 waiver,” Trump said. “It’s a very complex process and I stuck with ethanol and most other candidates, they weren’t there.”

The head of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says the ethanol industry appreciates the president acknowledging the need for year-round sales of E15, but Monte Shaw says he’s concerned Trump’s reference to the “complex process” means others in the administration are trying to tie approval of year-round E15 sales with other “anti-biofuels provisions.”

Trump arrived at Dubuque airport late this morning and shook hands with supporters who were waiting for Air Force One to land. The president also met with the mayor of Marshalltown to discuss its recovery from last week’s tornado. Later, during  his remarks at the community college, Trump mentioned the tornadoes that struck Marshalltown, Pella and Bondurant.

“I want to also send our prayers to the communities who have been affected by the recent, devastating tornadoes in central Iowa. That was all over the news and I watched it. I love this place. It’s been a very special place to me and, you know, whatever we can do, we’re doing. We have a lot of federal people out here, some incredible people, and they’re all working with your representatives and I know they’re doing the best they can, but I will tell you that’s a terrible event,” Trump said. “The power of nature. People have no idea.”

A crowd of protesters, many with posters critical of Trump’s trade policies, and supporters were outside the entrance to the community college campus when the president’s motorcade arrived.

Oregon senator in Iowa, helping Iowa Democrats raise money, campaign door-to-door

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Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley says Democrats are “extremely” motivated for the 2018 election and Trump Administration policies on immigration are a major factor.

Merkley spent the past few days in Iowa attending public events and campaigning for local Democrats. Merkley drew national attention earlier this year when he tried to visit a detention facility at the southern border where children were being separated from parents who were filing for asylum in the U.S.

“This is wrong,” Merkley said during an interview with Radio Iowa. “It’s dark. It’s evil. It’s nuts.”

Merkley, though, is not among the Democrats who’ve called for abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. He said that’s “counterproductive” to efforts to get the Trump Administration to revert to previous policies toward asylum seekers.

“To deliberately inflict harm on children I think touches the hearts of everyone and I think a tremendous number of our Republican colleagues are upset about it as well,” Merkley said.

Almost every American has someone in their family history who fled disease, hunger, religious persecution or civil war, according to Merkley.

“To instead arrive and be treated to handcuffs, imprisonment and having your children torn away, deliberately inflicting harm as a message of deterrence is just profoundly wrong,” Merkley said.

Merkley spoke at a fundraiser this morning for Deidre DeJear, the Democratic candidate for Iowa Secretary of State. This is his second extended trip to Iowa and it’s no secret Merkley is mulling a 2020 presidential campaign.

“I can tell you in the history of my home state of Oregon, we’re not aware of anyone ever having explored the possibility of the presidency,” Merkley said. “…Common sense western values of independence and self-reliance, but the community coming together to help each other out is maybe the right balance that we need to talk about more in America.”

Merkley served five terms in the Oregon legislature and was speaker of the Oregon House when he defeated an incumbent Republican U.S. Senator in 2008. He won reelection in 2014. In 2016, Merkley was the only member of the U.S. Senate who endorsed Bernie Sanders.

Lawsuit cites Trump Foundation charity activities before 2016 Iowa Caucuses

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Trump speaking at at Drake during event in 2016.

New York’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit accusing the Donald J. Trump Foundation of illegal conduct — and the lawsuit mentions “at least five” checks distributed to Iowa groups before the 2016 Caucuses.

On January 28, 2016, Trump held a televised fundraiser for veterans charities at Drake University in Des Moines. It was Trump’s counter-programming to a Fox News debate for GOP presidential candidates that Trump skipped.

The money Trump raised that night went into the Trump Foundation account. According to the lawsuit, Trump’s campaign staff then improperly directed the money to veterans organizations.

A news release from the New York Attorney General’s office features a photo of Trump making a $100,000 donation to a veterans’ charity in Sioux City. Trump announced that donation the day before the Iowa Caucuses.

A federal law prohibits tax-exempt charities from engaging in political activities.

President Trump said on Twitter that the lawsuit is political motivated by “sleazy New York Democrats.”

Governor from the northwest to help Iowa Democrats raise money

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The Democratic governor of Washington state will help Iowa Democrats raise money next month at a high-profile event.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee will be the keynote speaker at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Hall of Fame dinner on June 23. These kind of events often serve as a rehearsal space for candidates pondering a run for the White House.

Inslee gained national notice after Washington State successfully blocked President Trump’s first travel ban.

Inslee is also traveling the country as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association. As you may recall, Mitt Romney did the same thing in 2006 as chairman of the Republican Governors Association before launching his first campaign for president the following year.