Statewide Iowa — With just over a week to go in the campaign, incumbent Republican Senator Joni Ernst spent the weekend in D.C. taking procedural votes before Monday’s vote to confirm a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Theresa Greenfield, the Iowa Democratic Party’s U.S. Senate candidate, campaigned in seven counties this weekend.
Greenfield’s stops at small businesses, farms and a public park featured face masks and small groups.
(As above) “We’re working hard to follow public health guidelines as best we can,” Greenfield says.
The “Team Joni” bus made campaign stops Saturday for Ernst — with Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig doing the talking. Senator Ernst spoke with Radio Iowa by phone from Washington, D.C.
(As above) “It is hard because I’d much rather be in Iowa, covering as many miles as possible,” Ernst said.
Ernst, though, says she had a duty to stay in D.C. to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
(As above) “How important it is that we continue to fight for Iowa values and she is going to be an incredible Supreme Court justice,” Ernst says. “…We’re hearing that from Iowans, too…Those that watched the hearings, I think her support has just become more and more firm.”
This race is the most expensive in Iowa history and Iowans are being bombarded with advertisements. Ernst says with eight days left in the 2020 campaign, the ground game is what’s most important to her.
(As above) “Those ads are becoming ineffective, I believe,” Ernst says. “But what we’ve told supporters is: ‘Talk to your neighbors. Talk to people on the fence, because they will believe you more so than they will some random TV ad.'”
Greenfield is emphasizing the ground game, too.
(As above) “We’re on the phones, we’re texting and we’ve really been working hard to build what I call more of a neighbor-to-neighbor contact program where you’re responsible for your block, for your neighborhood — just talking to people when they’re out mowing the lawn, more casual relationship building,” Greenfield say. “Must be working. People are voting.”
As of Saturday, more than 722-thousand Iowans had already voted early.
