Team Starting Line
Latest from Team Starting Line
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Cory Booker Needs More Time
It was just over one year ago that Sen. Cory Booker made his first major pre-2020 appearance in Iowa, as the keynote speaker for the Iowa Democratic Party’s fall dinner in 2018. His passionate, nearly hour-long speech on the day of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation put him as an early leading contender in Iowa activists’ minds…
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Ernst Blames “Shifting Demographics” For Tough Reelection Campaign
During an interview late last week on the AM Quad Cities radio show, Sen. Joni Ernst blamed her struggling campaign on Iowa’s changing demographics, rather than on her voting record. At a fundraiser with Vice President Mike Pence earlier this month, Ernst admitted that she was one of the most-vulnerable incumbent senators in the country.…
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What Iowans Thought Of Tonight’s Crowded Debate
Team Starting Line fanned out to multiple debate watch parties tonight in Des Moines, tasked with gathering voters’ reactions to the 12-candidate event. The three-hour debate featured the largest field of presidential candidates on one debate stage ever. Take a look at what Iowans thought of the candidates’ performances in Ohio: Grandview University, Des Moines…
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One Caucus-Goer At A Time, Harris Climbs Back In Iowa
Kamala Harris returned to Iowa this week on a mission: rejuvenate a stalled campaign. The lead-off caucus state is a natural place to stage a comeback, though her new rally playlist specifically directs you to “don’t call it a comeback” via a LL Cool J song. As Harris herself explicitly explained to the crowds in…
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Who Iowans Liked At Tonight’s Debate Watch Parties
Iowans gathered at debate watch parties throughout the state to watch the ten leading Democratic candidates square off at the latest debate. As always, your Starting Line team was out at many debate watch parties across Central Iowa, from a Drake University gathering with new students to a Salvadorian restaurant where attendees watched the debate…
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Kamala Harris Iowa Campaign Powered By “Blue Wave” Women
Shortly after Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, the Iowa Capitol grounds filled with a sea of women newly engaged in politics, ready to take action at the state’s first Women’s March. But could they keep that enthusiasm up all the way through the election, people asked. They did, volunteering for Democratic campaigns, propelling Abby…
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Food, Fun And Five Candidates At The Iowa State Fair
Former HUD Secretary Julian Castro brought his entire family to the Iowa State Fair, while former Congressman John Delaney flipped some burgers and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard grabbed a root beer. Meanwhile, Andrew Yang gnawed on a giant turkey leg and Marianne Williamson met voters at the Iowa Democratic Party’s booth. Here’s what their days at…
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Parade Of Candidates Try To Stand Out At Wing Ding
By now, Iowa acivists have seen in-person or heard on TV more than two dozen Democrats running for president. Whether they attended the Hall of Fame dinner in Cedar Rapids, the Iowa Democratic Wing Ding Friday night in Clear Lake or an intimate gathering at a coffee shop, voters are beginning to narrow down their…
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Who Convinced Iowans In The 2nd Democratic Debate (1st Night)
Iowans watched from bars, house parties and restaurants tonight as ten Democratic candidates faced off in the first night of the second debate. Team Starting Line was once again out at neutral debate watch parties organized by Democratic Party groups. Our reporters went to Ames, Des Moines, Keokuk and Winterset to see how caucus-goers reacted…
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Good News, Cory Booker! Des Moines Has A New Vegan Spot. Our Review.
There’s a new option for candidates with certain dietary choices (i.e., Cory Booker) in Des Moines: Dirt Burger, a vegan burger spot in the East Village. It’s a welcome addition to Des Moines’ diverse, ever-expanding restaurant scene, and here just in time for all the campaign staff and candidates who are coming in from out…
