Loebsack's open house Saturday 2/18

[rurallib]

Short report on Loebsack's open house. Considering it was the coldest day of the year and downtown Iowa City is such a pleasure to find parking in, I'd say it was a real success. The Daily Iowan reported @ 100 people showed up. I can't say how many, but those that were there were very enthusiastic. Lots of energy. It also looks like Dave has a great staff especially his fundraiser and his press secretary. This is a married couple, Melanie(funds) and Jason (press) Friedman. His other staffers appear to be very competent and focused.
Here is part of the story in the DI today:

Rep. James Leach, R-Iowa, has been sitting with relative comfort atop the political ranks in Iowa for more than a quarter century, but local Democrats who gathered on Feb. 18 say the joy ride is soon to be over.
"I just don't have the luxury of voting for Leach anymore," Iowa City resident Jerry Denning said. "The problems of the country are just too great."
His comments were not isolated among the close to 100 people who showed up over the weekend to help David Loebsack - a Mount Vernon Democrat who hopes to replace the longtime Republican legislator this November - open his Iowa City campaign headquarters.
The problem, they said, is Washington has become beholden to the Republican "monopoly of power," and Leach, while known as a moderate, has become an "enabler" rather than a voice of opposition.
"He tries to come across as a centrist and please everybody, but, when it's close, the party yanks the reins, and he's on their side," said Doug Simkin, the chairman of the Cedar County Democrats.
And while ousting Leach has proved an insurmountable task for past hopefuls, Loebsack and company say the absence of a major national campaign and a growing distaste for what they characterized as quiet ambivalence will leave Leach looking from the outside in this fall.
"There's no doubt in my mind whether I can do this," said Loebsack, a Cornell College professor of political science who says he's got the expertise and the wherewithal to avoid an elongated learning curve on Capitol Hill.

[Debi]

1. Wow, sounds like a good event for Loebsack and company

Just keep it going and don't let Leach's baloney votes in the next nine months change anything! :bounce: