Today Hillary Clinton’s campaign released names of “nearly 200 women from all of Iowa’s 99 counties including nearly two dozen State Legislators, County Chairs and local elected officials” who support Clinton’s presidential bid. I’ve enclosed the full list after the jump. Many of these women also backed Clinton for president before the 2008 Iowa caucuses, such as former Iowa Attorney General Bonnie Campbell, former State Senator Staci Appel, and Ruth Harkin.
Nine women currently serving in the Iowa House are on the Iowa Women for Hillary list: State Representatives Marti Anderson, Timi Brown-Powers, Abby Finkenauer, Ruth Ann Gaines, Vicki Lensing, Mary Mascher, Jo Oldson, Sally Stutsman, and Phyllis Thede. Lensing and Mascher were among 21 state lawmakers who backed Clinton before the 2008 caucuses. Oldson was also in the legislature then; to my knowledge, she did not endorse a candidate before the 2008 caucuses. I am seeking confirmation and will update as needed.
The others were not in the state legislature in 2007, but Anderson and then Johnson County Supervisor Stutsman were high-profile supporters of Clinton’s campaign. Thede and Gaines were county leaders for Obama. I don’t know whether Finkenauer and Brown-Powers were active volunteers for any of the presidential campaigns that year. UPDATE: Brown-Powers told me that she caucused for Obama but was not active in the campaign.
Two current Iowa Senate Democrats are on the new Iowa Women for Hillary list: Janet Petersen backed Obama in 2007, as a member of the Iowa House. Liz Mathis was not a state lawmaker that year, and I am not aware of her publicly endorsing a candidate.
State Representatives Cindy Winckler and Beth Wessel-Kroeschell endorsed Clinton as Iowa House members in 2007 but have not done so this year. I am seeking comment from both on whether they have picked a different candidate, are undecided, or plan not to endorse before the 2016 caucuses.
Like Gaines and Thede, several other women on today’s press release were among the Obama campaign’s county leaders in 2007, such as Peggy Bramman (Delaware County), Clara Oleson (Cedar County), and Debbie Gitchell and Jan Bauer (Story County).
I got a kick out of seeing Bauer’s name, because earlier this year, she told the Washington Post that she was “waiting to see how aggressively pursued I am” before picking a candidate. Bleeding Heartland cited that comment as an unfortunate example of prairie prima donna behavior, which hurts the Iowa caucuses.
The best-known onetime John Edwards supporter on the new Women for Hillary list is Roxanne Conlin, a former U.S. attorney and Democratic nominee for governor and U.S. Senate. She came out for Clinton a few months ago.
Two other prominent Iowa women who weren’t on today’s press release are worth noting as once-dedicated Obama supporters backing Clinton for president in 2016. Jackie Norris was an early Obama campaign staffer in 2007 and ran Obama’s 2008 general election campaign in Iowa. Early last year, she showed up for the “Ready for Hillary” super PAC’s first event in this state. Former Iowa Democratic Party chair Sue Dvorsky announced in June that she will be helping Clinton’s campaign build support for next year’s caucuses.
Iowa women supporting Hillary Clinton, named in an August 20 press release:
Nola Vorrath, Community Activist, Adair
Hilary Mallet, Community Activist, Adams
Ann Hart, Retired Elementary School Principal, Allamakee
Janice Bolger, Educator, Church Secretary, Director of Local Food Pantry, Appanoose
Julie Carol Williams, Audubon
Jennifer Rowray, Benton
Rosemary Schwartz, Chair, Benton County Democrats, Benton
Rep. Timi Brown-Powers, State Legislator, Black Hawk
Lee Byrd, Retired Educator, Black Hawk
Roberta White, Mail Handler, Boone
Susan Vallem, Social Worker and Advocate/Professor Emeritus, Wartburg College, Bremer
Pamela Wolter, Business Professional and Conservationist, Bremer
Margaret Damge, Retired Farmer, Buchanan
Sara Huddleston, Storm Lake City Councilor, Buena Vista
Carol Lytle, Retired Educator, Buena Vista
Carol Peterson, Retired Educator, Buena Vista
Claudia Bolles, Community Activist, Butler
Linda Luhring, Retired Social Worker and Community Volunteer, Calhoun
Marcia Kollasch, Retired Retail Manager, Emphasis on Women in Leadership, Carroll
Rolene Britson, Retired, Cass
Clara Oleson, Retired Labor Educator, Feminist and Community Activist, Cedar
Tracy Smith, Consultant, Cerro Gordo
Peggy Leifer, Caregiver, Cherokee
Sandra Burgart, Retired Technical Analyst, Chickasaw
Cathlene Jones, Community Activist, Clarke
Anne Slattery, Stay-at-Home Mom, Clay
Maria Brummel, Retired, Activist, Clayton
Mary Jo Petersen, Educator, Clinton
Dawn Sturm, Cosmotologist, Trustee on Manilla Utilities Board, Crawford
Deb Bell, Small Business Owner, Dallas
Susan Terry Knapp, Dallas
Marcia Wanamaker, Realtor, Dallas
Brenda Johnson, Businesswoman, Davis
Cheryll Jones, Nurse, Davis
Sherry Morain, Member of the Lamoni City Council and Community Social Worker, Decatur
Peggy Bramman, Retired Educator, Delaware
Elaine Baxter, Former Secretary of State, Des Moines
Nancy Courtney, Des Moines
Joni Gillispie, Disabled, Disability Advocate, Des Moines
Kathy Rashid, Physician’s Assistant (PA), Des Moines
Sara Koepp, Activist, Dickinson
Vicki Perry, Retired Educator, Dickinson
Rep. Abby Finkenauer, State Legislator, Dubuque
Caroline Koppes, Activist, Dubuque
Judy Schmidt, Retired Educator (English Teacher), Disability and Education Activist, Dubuque
R.R.S. Stewart, Adjunct Professor, Civil Rights Researcher, Writer, Parliamentarian, Activist, Dubuque
Carrie Tedore, Senior Communications Specialist and Community Activist, Dubuque
Kathleen Graves, Farmer, Retired Instructor, Emmet
Coral Robinson, Retired, Fayette
Laurie Davis, Community Activist, Floyd
Ellen Doll-Brewer, Retired Social Worker, Floyd
Catherine Crooks, Small Business Owner, Franklin
Amy McCollum-Most, Consultant, Fremont
Lola Booth, Retired Office Manager, Greene
Phyllis Holland, Women’s Advocate, Grundy
Kathy Miller, Chair, Guthrie County Democrats, Guthrie
Mary Mincer Hansen, R.N., Ph.D, Guthrie
Janet Adams, Former State Legislator, Hamilton
Brooke Penning, Hancock
Susan Hassman, Children’s Librarian, Hardin
Dolores Wolf, Retired Health Care Consultant, Hardin
Norma Coret, Retired, Harrison
Chris Anderson, Technical Training Coordinator, Henry
Lynda Mikkelson, School Transportation, Howard
Kerin Sorensen, Reverend, Presbyterian Minister, Humboldt
Lenee Sinnott, Ida
Elizabeth Russell, Retired Retail Worker, Iowa
Carol Hammill, Jackson
Cindy Pollard, Activist, Jasper
Gayla Snook, Program Manager for Persons with Disabilities, Jasper
Susie Drish, Chair, Jefferson County Democrats, Jefferson
Carter Bell, Student, Johnson
Melissa Fath, Activist, Johnson
Melanie Gross, Activist, Johnson
Rep. Vicki Lensing, State Legislator, Johnson
Janet Lyness, Johnson County Attorney, Johnson
Rep. Mary Mascher, State Legislator, Johnson
Amy Nielsen, Mayor of North Liberty, Johnson
Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder, Johnson
Cindy Riley, Small Business Owner, Former VP in Manufacturing Sector, Johnson
Rep. Sally Stutsman, State Legislator, Johnson
Mary Westbrook, Retired Executive, Johnson
Jan Clark, Nurse Practitioner, Jones
Mary Krier, Chair, Keokuk County Democrats, Keokuk
Christine Greene Louscher, Retired Psychotherapist, Kossuth
Amanda Redenius, Retired Educator, Kossuth
Melissa Law, Manager and Business Owner of Law Automotive, Lee
Myrt Bowers, Retired, Linn
Lee Clancey, Former Mayor of Cedar Rapids, Linn
Karen Hartlep, Retired Educator, Linn
Sen. Liz Mathis, State Legislator, Linn
Marcia Rogers, Small Business Owner, Linn
Libby Gotschall Slappey, Community Activist, Linn
Sunny Story, Retired Educator, Linn
Sara Todd, Nurse, Linn
Kathy Ulrich, Retired Educator, Linn
Linda Langston, Linn
Kay Halloran, Linn
Mary Best, Banking Cashier and Operations Manager, Louisa
Jean Delzell, Activist, Louisa
Joan Amos, Chair, Lucas County Democrats, Lucas
Teresa Dixson, Communicator, Lucas
Helen Petersen, Retired Educator, Lyon
Jolyn Meehan, Registered Nurse, Madison
Kellene Wheeler, Driver, Mahaska
Phyllis Weeks, Activist, Marion
Debra Lang, Machine Operator, Marshall
Madelyn Mayberry, Marshall
Danielle Bueltel, Special Education Associate, Mills
Jeanette Armstrong, Former County Chair, Mitchell
Paula Meyer, President, Friends of Ngong Road Foundation, Mitchell
Betty “B.J.” Abrams, Veteran, Retired Nurse, Monona
Karan Beebe, Retired Nurse, Monroe
Rebecca Kaiser, Retired Educator, Montgomery
Sara Sedlacek, Development Professional, Muscatine
Angela McCuddin, Activist, O’Brien
Denise Cummins, Radiologic Technologist, Osceola
Jennifer Herrington, Chair, Page County Democratic Party, Page
Kay Kibbie, Democratic Activist, Palo Alto
Katharine Klave, Writer, Plymouth
Carmella Schultes, Association Executive, Pocahontas
Rep. Marti Anderson, State Legislator, Polk
Som Baccam, R.N., Member of the Board of Trustees, Broadlawns Hospital, Polk
Stacie Bendixen, Communications Specialist, Polk
Margaret Borgen, Former Des Moines School Board Member, Community Volunteer, Polk
Kerry Bowen, Retired Union Organizer, Polk
Liz Brennan, West Des Moines School Board Member, Polk
Lauren Burt, Corporate Communications Manager, Polk
Elisabeth Buck, Community Leader, Polk
Bonnie Campbell, Former Attorney General, Polk
Claire Celsi, Small Business Owner, Polk
Jean Classon, President, Iowa NOW, Polk
Alicia Claypool, Former Chairperson, Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Activist, Polk
Roxanne Conlin, Attorney, Polk
Lisa Deaton, Mortgage Banking, Business Process Consultant, Polk
Fran Fleck, Community Volunteer, Polk
Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines, State Legislator, Polk
Leslie Gearhart, Self Employed, Real Estate, Polk
Linda Goeldner, Former Executive Director, Iowa Nurses Association, Polk
Carolyn Jenison, Chief Executive Officer, Polk
Jill June, Retired, Former President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Polk
Lynzey Kenworthy, Attorney, Polk
Natalie Koerber, Public Affairs Professional, Polk
Diane Kolmer, Retired Director of Government Affairs, Polk
Rep. Jo Oldson, State Legislator, Polk
Sally Pederson, Former Lt. Governor, Polk
Sen. Janet Petersen, State Legislator, Polk
Vidhya Reddy Bagniewski, Attorney, Polk
Julie Stauch, President and CEO of Julie Stauch and Associates, LLC, Polk
Susan Voss, Community Activist, Polk
Margi Weiss, Non-Profit Fundraising Consultant, Polk
Calvetta Williams, Founder, Mothers Against Violence, Polk
Angela Lewis, Pottawattamie
Maggie Ashford, Retired, Tech and Nonprofit Sector, Poweshiek
Kathryn Henderson, Retired Educator, Ringgold
Joleen Bachman, Retired Educator, Sac
Patricia Baxter, Community Activist, Scott
Judy Collins, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Scott
Roxanna Moritz, Scott County Auditor, Scott
Nancy Seidler, Retired Nurse, Scott
Rep. Phyllis Thede, State Legislator, Scott
Judy Voss, Air Force Veteran, Retired Nurse, Activist, Scott
Gloria Hargens, Community Volunteer, Shelby
Julie Theulen, Chair, Shelby County Democrats and Educator, Shelby
Kelsey Kleinwolterink, Sioux
Jan Bauer, Chair, Story County Democrats, Story
Debbie Gitchell, Activist, Story
Johnie Hammond, Former State Senator, Story
Phyllis Peters, Community Relations Manager, Story
Jessica Reynolds, Attorney, Story
Deborah “Jaz” Brittain, Homemaker, Tama
Helen Rogers, Taylor
Joann Bradley, Retired, Union County Board of Supervisors, Union
Twyla Peacock, Chair, Van Buren County Democrats, Van Buren
Heather Weber, Educator, Van Buren
Nancy Emanuel, Retired School Nurse and Health Educator, Wapello
Pam Picken, Activist, Wapello
Staci Appel, Former State Senator, Warren
Ruth Harkin, Iowa Leader, Warren
Minoo Spellerberg, Chief Compliance Officer, Warren
Karen Gorham, Community Activist, Washington
Michaela King, Support Center Analyst, Wayne
Kim Motl, Housing Coordinator, Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Webster
Cindy Henn, Retired Documentation Coordinator, Winnebago
Joy Newcom, Activist and Writer, Winnebago
Ann Mary Landstrom, Higher Education Advisor and Administrator, Winneshiek
Becky Olafsen, Activist, Retired Educator, Winneshiek
Anita Wendt, Retired Educator, Woodbury
Suzanne Evans, Retired Educator, Worth
Angela Wesselink, Social Worker, Wright