Democratic Party of Iowa Chair

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Iowans are already casting ballots. What is the closing message to voters? And how are the state parties helping get out the vote? We'll talk with Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart on this edition of Iowa Press.

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For decades, Iowa Press has brought you political leaders and newsmakers from across Iowa and beyond. Celebrating more than 50 years on statewide Iowa PBS, this is the Friday, October 18th edition of Iowa Press. Here is Kay Henderson.

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[Henderson] On this edition of Iowa Press, and next week, viewers will be hearing from the leaders of Iowa's two major political parties. This week's guest is Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart. She is here to talk about the days, the dwindling days between now and November 5th Election Day. Thanks for being here.

[Hart] Absolutely happy to be here, Kay. Thank you so much for the invite.

[Henderson] Also joining the conversation, Dave Price of the Gray Television Stations in Iowa and Erin Murphy of the Gazette in Cedar Rapids.

[Price] Chair Hart, if we could start, first of all, congratulations on already getting the crops harvested. That is probably your biggest accomplishment of the year. So, props to you on that, you and your hubby.

[Hart] I'm careful to be too braggy here in front of the rest of the farmers out there.

[Price] Good point. I want to turn the page back a little bit to this summer. A couple of months ago we had two of your congressional candidates, Christina Bohannan and Sarah Corkery, saying that it was time for President Biden to step aside, for somebody else to become your party's nominee. At the time, you had declined to do that. As we now look at this whole process, is your party better off by having Kamala Harris as its nominee? Was that the right call?

[Hart] I think that what we're better off for is that President Biden himself made this decision.

[Price] With some help though, right?

[Hart] Well, every decision we make we take input from others. And I think that is really what a lot of Iowa democrats were thinking is where is he at in this decision? And so, he made a decision and he stepped aside. And, as he said, he handed this down to a new generation. And as a result, folks are recognizing that that was such a selfless thing to do and it was a good thing to do for the democratic party for this particular race because it has energized the democratic party in this contest and we have seen nothing but positive as a result. It's kind of amazing to me that that could take place, that when he handed that off to Kamala Harris that all these other people who had great ambitions also saw what Joe Biden was leading us to and said, you know what, we're going to get behind this candidacy as well.

[Price] Did you really at the time not have an opinion? Or did you not think it was your place to say it?

[Hart] Again, I think that it really mattered where Joe Biden was on this and that the way this transpired was exactly the right kind of decision making in a democratic process.

[Henderson] For people who have forgotten the timing of this, this happened on a Sunday in July. And then you spoke to reporters and said, I'm not saying I'm endorsing a candidate at this moment, I need to talk to the other delegates to the Democratic National Convention and then a few hours later the Harris campaign announced that you had endorsed her. So, how fast did this move? And what led you to make that decision so quickly?

[Hart] So again, I'm the Chair of the Democratic Party. When I make a decision or make a decision like that, I need to take in what the will of the majority is in our democratic party. And so those delegates that were going to convention needed to have a moment to decide what they wanted to do. And so, we had those conversations and it was quick. My goodness, it was quick. But I was surprised at how quickly our delegates came together and said, we are going to be behind Kamala Harris, and that's now where we are.

[Murphy] So, you mentioned the engagement, the enthusiasm. We've been hearing that anecdotally from democrats and democratic candidates. I'm looking at some voter registration numbers now from Iowa and the democratic party has picked up about 16,000 new, well more registrations since July, an increase of about 3.4%. Where are these folks coming from? How much are they going to help your party's candidates in this election?

[Hart] So, I can't answer that question. We'd have to analyze that a bit. But the enthusiasm that you mentioned is very real. As I travel across the state, democrats are very fired up. And Io would say even more importantly they are determined. They want to see Kamala Harris and Tim Walz get elected. And they are excited about the fact that these two people represent a future that is positive, that is going to stand up for the things that Iowa democrats stand for as well, that they are going to be making sure that women have reproductive decisions, that they have control over their own bodies. They're excited about the fact that we have leadership that recognizes that public school education is really important. I think here in Iowa we're especially thrilled about Tim Walz's step up to the vice presidency because he is that teacher, that coach, that background that says public education is important and that when you send kids to public school and they're hungry we ought to feed them. Common sense kinds of decision making that we're hungry for here in Iowa.

[Henderson] Harkening back to the Romney ticket, there was a Wisconsinite on that ticket and people thought well that will be big in Iowa, it will really help him in Iowa. It didn't turn out to be. Is Walz really helping in Iowa? He hasn't campaigned here.

[Hart] Yeah, I think that, again, it's representative of the decision making that Kamala Harris is making, that she chose a common sense person who is going to lead us down this path, it's going to be good for the average American, the average Iowan. That is what I think is going to make a difference and why there is so much excitement around this ticket.

[Murphy] Well, and on that, you should also note the republicans have also added to their voter registration numbers in the same time, not as much, they have increased about 2% over the same period. But are they canceling out any surge that you're seeing? Do you need to boost those numbers even more to be able to help your candidates across the state?

[Hart] I think, again, that is why it's really crucial that we are going out and talking to folks and telling them how important their vote is. Not everybody changes their voter registration when they have changed their mind on who they're going to vote for. And so, when this election is over, we'll be able to go back and really take a good hard look at where the movement is and who we're talking about. But I think, again, to have a younger person at the top of the ticket is exciting to our younger voters and to those people who are looking for a direction on the issues that democrats really care about, on child care accessibility, on health care, on mental health. These are the issues that are think are going to really be the drivers. And, again, this election is all about turnout. And so again, that's why I'm traveling the state, that's why we're excited that we have so many great candidates who have stepped up because of the situation that has existed here in Iowa where they've seen that republicans being in control has ended up in extreme legislation that people do not support and is not popular. And so, our candidates have said hey, something has got to change. And now we have voters who can get behind those candidates and change things.

[Murphy] Before we move on, I'm sorry I've just got to follow up on something you said there. Are you sure that Iowa voters are not in line with what we've seen at the Capitol that you're mentioning because it's not all that different from what we've seen in previous election cycles and that has not hurt statehouse republicans here?

[Hart] Yeah, well so we've had some changes in that direction. This six-week abortion ban has now become reality and as a result people understand that this is affecting the health care choices for all women across Iowa. I think people are much more aware that today Iowa is dead last in OBGYNs per capita and that is going to really end up with negative health outcomes for women of any age. And they have also see that the decisions to take taxpayer money and put it into private schools instead of the public school system is not only detrimental to public school as a whole, but particularly detrimental to our rural schools who don't have the same choices as people who live in urban areas. And that just isn't, that doesn't strike Iowans correctly.

[Price] I want to bounce back maybe to piggyback off what Kay was talking about. If we look at the Des Moines Register's Iowa Poll from last month, the gap between Trump and Harris was only 4% compared to 18% when it was Trump Biden back in June. As Kay pointed out, we don't have the candidates coming here, they're kind of coming on the outside of the state a little bit, but 4% traditionally we kind of called that swing state, it's almost within the margin of error -- by the way, Ann Selzer does these polls -- is there not a belief outside of our border that this is a true winnable -- is this winnable for Kamala Harris? Or are people not on board and believe in this?

[Hart] I just think this is such a tight race nationally and I know we were all surprised at that Selzer poll. That's a big leap. So, it is in indicator that nobody was quite ready for and because this is such a close race across the nation and the attention has always been on what has been considered these tight races in places like Georgia and Pennsylvania that maybe it's a little bit hard to make that shift. But I tell you what, it's not lost on us here in Iowa. That is why we're focusing so hard on democratic voter turnout and making sure that we are educating folks on what is at stake here and what our candidates have to offer.

[Price] But would you like Kamala Harris in the state of Iowa before November 5th?

[Hart] We would always welcome Kamala Harris. We would always welcome Tim Walz.

[Price] Are you going to get them? Want to drop some news here?

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[Hart] No, no news is going to be -- but yes, they are welcome here any time.

[Murphy] You have mentioned already the impact, I'm sorry, the issue of abortion, women's reproductive health care, IVF. Maybe especially at the congressional level, is that an issue or bust for democratic candidates? Is that the issue that is going to carry them across the finish line in these races? Or is there a more well-rounded message that these candidates have?

[Hart] I think it's really clear that this is a very salient issue in this time, especially because we have some republican congressional representatives who have not been listening to Iowa residents on this issue. And they have not really been honest about it. They have voted for abortion bans and then come back to Iowa and say, oh well, I really believe in exceptions. Well, they have not walked the walk and talked the talk. They're saying one thing and voting a different way. And that I think is a bigger issue than anything is the honesty that comes out of can we trust what you say when you vote differently than your rhetoric? But overall, I would say that freedom is always a big issue. And the fact that people today have fewer rights than they did is really resounding well with people. But there are other issues too.

[Henderson] Speaking of --

[Price] Yeah, speaking of, your family's financial position is always something that is a motivator for a lot of people.

[Hart] Absolutely.

[Price] If you start looking at the polls, those would show that Trump has the advantage with this. Can you articulate the economic message that will get somebody off the couch who is kind of on the fence about do I want to vote, do I not want to vote? And maybe to crystalize it, if somebody stops you and says, how do you answer the question are you better off today than you were four years ago? How do you respond to people?

[Hart] Well, for one thing, I think that in some cases there has been a lot of revisionist history here that four years ago maybe if we actually went back there, we'd find out that things were a little bit different than some folks remember. That was a tough time four years ago as we were dealing with a pandemic and the economic ramifications thereof. But the message that I think democrats have is that we have always been the party for the middle class and that it's really important to democrats that people have good jobs, good paying jobs, that they can count on the security of those jobs and that we are making sure that our system works for everybody up and down the scale. And that's why it was such an important thing for Joe Biden to talk about how he was building the economy from the bottom up and the middle out because we're not building an economy for those people who have the financial advantages already. And that's what we can look forward to if we go back to a Trump presidency, that his big accomplishment was a tax cut for the wealthy and did not do much for the middle class. And that is where democratic candidates are focused on is what can we do to lower the costs for average Americans? And that's why people have responded well to the fact that we've lowered prescription drug costs, that we are working for fair wages, that we are trying to make corporate America accountable for the inflation that exists today.

[Price] But when you look at some of these stats, wages are outpacing inflation the last 18 months and right now they're almost going up twice as fast, your paycheck is going up almost twice as fast as the cost of everything. Gas prices are down. Stock markets have been records all year long. We've set a gazillion records with the Dow. There still seems to be a disconnect though when you start going out and talking to people about this though. Are you not concerned that that message, your message is not clicking well enough with people?

[Hart] Well, that is, again, why we're going out and talking to folks. But when you drill down into that, it's not hard to understand that when people go to the grocery store and it costs more that that is really troubling, that that makes a big difference to folks and when they pay their rent bills that makes a big -- and that is clear that housing costs are a crucial part of what is really hitting people's pocketbooks. And so, again, those problems, especially the housing issue, have been coming ever since the big crash and those kinds of initiatives that are attacking and making sure that we are doing something about lowering those housing costs are really important to talk to people. So that's what we're doing.

[Henderson] So, let's go back four years. You were a candidate for Congress.

[Hart] Yes, I remember that.

[Henderson] You were running against Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is a current member of Congress seeking re-election. You wound up losing by six votes.

[Hart] Correct.

[Henderson] What did you see in the close down of your race that you have advised Christina Bohannan to avoid?

[Hart] Well, what I would say about that is, first of all, that was a really unique time. That six vote deficit was happening at the same time when President Trump was saying that his election was stolen, even though there were millions of votes in difference, and we all know how that transpired afterwards. I made a decision for the good of the campaign, for the good of the party, for the good of Iowa, to recognize that it was time to say that yes, this election cycle is over.

[Henderson] But that's December. I'm talking about the close of October and the first few days of November. What did you see that indicated you needed to do something else to win?

[Hart] That I needed to --

[Price] Or did you?

[Henderson] Or did you see something else at that point in the race?

[Price] What was your gut telling you in those final days before the election?

[Hart] Before the election. What my gut was telling me was that we were in a good position to win this race. And I guess what you're asking is, is Christina in that same position? And I guess what I would say is that this is the message we are taking to the people right now. Every vote matters. Your vote really counts. And we have got to stick this right to the end because it is going to be a really close race. We're going to have a close race in the 1st district, we're going to have a close race in the 3rd district, and every vote is going to matter. I particularly today was talking to young people on the Drake campus because young voters are really crucial, I think in this race, that 18- to 34-year-old group is one of the largest voting blocs we have and they have the poorest record for getting to the polls. And the one thing that is more important to tell the people, the voters, rather than to tell Christina, is that you've got to show up for her. She has run a tremendous race. She is really working hard. So is Lanon Baccam. It's up to the voters to get to the voting poll and make a difference because the worst thing that can happen, which happened to me, is to have people come to you the day after the election and say, oh Rita, I totally forgot to vote, I'm really sorry. I thought you had this in the bag. I thought you would win. And so, I'm really sorry. That is really horrible to hear. And so, that is why I want every voter to understand that their vote really counts. And they lost a chance. They didn't get their voice to be heard because they didn't make it to the polls.

[Murphy] To those two elections you talked about, for those of us who are on the other side of this and kind of observe and report I think a lot of us expected the 3rd district to be the most competitive in Iowa and it seems like that has sort of shifted to the 1st district. And I'm not suggesting that the 3rd district is no longer competitive. But it just seems like there's a lot more attention being placed on Miller-Meeks and Bohannan. What do you think has happened there? Why is that suddenly the battleground race in Iowa?

[Hart] I don't know if I -- I would tell you that what we know is that both races are really tight. And, again, if we can win one or both of those congressional seats that is going to be a big game changer for us and that's why it's so important that we really get people to the polls. As to whether or not one is more competitive than the other or why one is getting more attention than the other, I can't tell you except for that when you only won a congressional district by six votes, that maybe is a bellwether that says this could be a really great opportunity to flip.

[Price] Is Zach Nunn any tougher for Lanon Baccam to talk to on abortion only in the sense that Nunn has said he does not support a federal abortion ban? I don't think Congresswoman Miller-Meeks has ever said that. Does that make it a more difficult issue to campaign against him?

[Hart] I think they both have made it clear that -- they have voted for that bill that says no exceptions. So, I think they're both in the same boat there. They voted one way and talk a different game.

[Henderson] We don't have much time left. Let's just briefly talk about legislative races. It seems as if democrats running for seats in the Iowa House and Senate have made the state program for private schools whereby parents get money to cover the cost of tuition kind of a center point. Why will that be a winner in 2024 when Kim Reynolds campaigned for re-election and won handsomely in 2022 by saying that was her number one priority?

[Hart] Well, again, it's hard to know what people were paying attention to and whether they thought that was really going to be reality. And so now here in '24 we're seeing the results of that. And I think it just strikes people as not being smart governance to put public school education in a worse position. And Iowans are so proud of our public school education here. It is what drives people to come to Iowa and to stay in Iowa and they're proud of the fact that Iowa has this longstanding reputation. And so, to see that we have slipped down to 24 or 27, whatever number you want to look at, and that the other states that have gone to this voucher system have gone down even lower. Look at Arizona, I think it's dead last in the country. That is where we're headed and I think people recognize that when you divert money from public schools and it hurts public schools and send it to private schools who are now raising their tuition and most of the people that have benefited from this already were already sending their kids to private schools, I don't think people are accepting --

[Murphy] I'm sorry to cut you off. We're literally in our last 30 seconds here. I wanted to ask you really quick, the early voting window has tightened in Iowa because of state law changes and there is concern about the expedience of the Post Office. Are you actively discouraging Iowa democrats to not vote by mail out of fear that that ballot won't get back --

[Hart] No, absolutely not. I think it's so important that people have this option of voting by mail. People need to be able to vote by mail. Elderly people who don't get out, there's just so many reasons why voting by mail is a really great way to vote. But, they have, the republicans have shortened this window and made it harder and that is I think unacceptable. But what we're telling people is get that ballot back right away so that you're sure that it is in the auditor's office on the day of the election.

[Henderson] Speaking of timing, we are out of it. Thanks for joining us today.

[Hart] Hey, it was a great pleasure. Thanks to all of you.

[Henderson] On Monday, Iowa PBS will host a debate for the 1st congressional district. We'll question democrat Christina Bohannan and republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks about issues of importance in Iowa's 1st congressional district. That district covers much of Southeast Iowa and it is a rematch of the 2022 race. Watch the debate Monday, October 21st live at 8pm on-air or online. If you want to watch our 2nd congressional district debate from this past Monday or our Iowa Press conversation with 4th district candidate Ryan Melton, you may find those online at iowapbs.org. For everyone here at Iowa PBS, thanks for watching today.

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Funding for Iowa Press was provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation.

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The Associated General Contractors of Iowa, the public's partner in building Iowa's highway, bridge and municipal utility infrastructure.

Elite Casino Resorts a family run business rooted in Iowa. We believe our employees are part of our family and we strive to improve their quality of life and the quality of lives within the communities we serve.

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Across Iowa, hundreds of neighborhood banks strive to serve their communities, provide jobs and help local businesses. Iowa banks are proud to back the life you build. Learn more at iowabankers.com.

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