“In the past, only a handful of women, including spouses, could command the floor. Now, we see evidence that women will claim our seats at the table, not only as candidates, or spouses, but chief surrogates and political strategists.”
— Veteran Democratic strategist Donna Brazile
Across Iowa in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses, it was women who were making the case to anxious voters. While the state is lacking in racial diversity, with a population that is more than 90 percent white, more than half the residents are female. And women are the majority of the Democratic electorate in Iowa and primaries nationwide.
With many still unsure about who they think is the strongest candidate to defeat President Trump in November — the top issue for many Democrats — the task fell largely to female surrogates to argue for their candidates’ electability and energize the electorate here.
Veteran Democratic strategist Donna Brazile said the increased visibility of women as surrogates is “extremely new” on the caucus campaign trail.
“In the past, only a handful of women, including spouses, could command the floor,” Brazile said. “Now, we see evidence that women will claim our seats at the table, not only as candidates, or spouses, but chief surrogates and political strategists.”
Campaigning for Sen. Bernie Sanders four years ago, Nina Turner said, was “very lonely,” particularly as a woman. But the atmosphere in Iowa over the weekend marked a shift.
“It is very clear that the presence of women is front and center across campaigns,” said Turner, who is campaign co-chair for Sanders and campaigned for him in multiple cities across the state. “There are more of us. It shines a bright light and gives an opportunity for other women to say, ‘If this woman supports him, then I can support him, too.’ We are the lighthouse in this campaign.”
Read the full story: "Female surrogates make the case for candidates’ electability and appeal across Iowa" (Feb. 3, 2020)
“It’s a big country, and what’s going on in Iowa may not be as relevant to South Carolina as what’s going on here.”
— Marguerite Willis, former South Carolina gubernatorial candidate and Biden supporter
For months, South Carolina has looked to be the former vice president Joe Biden's firewall — a result of the strong black support he has maintained in the state. Black voters nationally have also backed Biden in the polls, which could be a predictor of how he performs in diverse Super Tuesday states on the heels of South Carolina’s primary.
Marguerite Willis, who ran for South Carolina governor in 2018 and is married to Frank Willis, the former mayor of Florence, S.C., is a former Harris campaign co-chair who threw her support behind Biden last month after joining him at a black church in Columbia during the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. Willis said she was convinced after seeing the congregation’s reaction to Biden.
“There was a genuine affection that you could feel,” said Willis. “I think you’re going to see that in the results here. That may make us an aberration. … We won’t know that until after Super Tuesday.”
Read the full story: "Biden campaign touts backing of coalition of South Carolina women with focus on turnout" (Feb. 6, 2020)
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