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Cindy Axne, Congresswoman From Iowa Swing District, Endorses Joe Biden Freed From Washington, Senators Are Set to Begin Burst of Campaigning
(about 11 hours later)
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Representative Cindy Axne of Iowa is endorsing former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., giving him another prominent backer with just over a week until the state’s caucuses. SALEM, N.H. — The four Democratic senators running for president dashed back to the campaign trail for a frenzied burst of campaigning on Saturday after a week in which they were confined to Washington for the impeachment trial of President Trump.
Ms. Axne, a freshman Democrat who unseated a Republican incumbent, hails from the kind of swing district that was key to the party’s takeover of the House in the 2018 midterm elections, and will be crucial to its continued control of the chamber. After an abbreviated impeachment session on Saturday, Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar were scheduled to travel to Iowa to resume their courting of the state’s Democrats, who will start the nominating process on Feb. 3 with caucuses across the state. They will need to return to Washington for the resumption of the proceedings on Monday.
Mr. Sanders, of Vermont, is looking to build on his new momentum in the primary race, and appears to be in a formidable position with just over a week until the caucuses, leading the field in a New York Times/Siena College poll of likely caucusgoers released Saturday. After traveling from Washington, Mr. Sanders was scheduled to appear in Ames, Iowa, for an evening rally with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and the filmmaker Michael Moore.
Mr. Sanders told CBS News on Friday that the impeachment trial had put him “at a disadvantage” because it had forced him to scale back his campaign schedule, though he said, “I am accepting my constitutional responsibility.”
In her own CBS interview on Friday, Ms. Warren, of Massachusetts, said: “Look, some things are more important than politics. I took an oath to uphold the Constitution.”
Two other leading contenders, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., were not stuck in Washington this past week. Mr. Buttigieg was scheduled to campaign in Iowa on Saturday, while Mr. Biden planned to fly there after beginning his day with an event in Salem, N.H.
Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, who has struggled to gain traction in the primary race and has also been tethered to Washington because of the impeachment trial, was scheduled travel to New Hampshire on Saturday and planned to campaign there through the weekend.
In Salem on Saturday, Mr. Biden offered a stinging critique of Mr. Trump, saying he had “diminished America on the world stage.” Speaking in an elementary school gym, Mr. Biden alluded to the impeachment trial that is playing out in Washington and reminded the crowd that he had come under relentless attack from Mr. Trump.
“My guess if you go back and turn your TV on today, you’re going to find the name Biden mentioned many, many, many times,” Mr. Biden said. “I wonder why he doesn’t want to run against me.”
Mr. Biden received a boost on Saturday when he picked up the endorsement of Representative Cindy Axne of Iowa, a freshman Democrat who unseated a Republican incumbent. Ms. Axne hails from the kind of swing district that was key to the party’s takeover of the House in the 2018 midterm elections, and will be crucial to its continued control of the chamber.
Ms. Axne was set to appear with Mr. Biden on Saturday night when he holds an event in her district in Ankeny, a suburb of Des Moines.
“He is who I believe is the one sure bet to beat Donald Trump,” Ms. Axne said in an interview, describing him as “a person who can bridge the divisiveness in this country.”“He is who I believe is the one sure bet to beat Donald Trump,” Ms. Axne said in an interview, describing him as “a person who can bridge the divisiveness in this country.”
Mr. Biden has now been endorsed by two of Iowa’s three Democrats in Congress. Representative Abby Finkenauer, another freshman who also flipped a Republican-held seat in 2018, endorsed him in early January. The state’s other House Democrat, Representative Dave Loebsack, has endorsed former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind. Mr. Biden has now been endorsed by two of Iowa’s three Democrats in Congress. Representative Abby Finkenauer, another freshman who flipped a Republican-held seat in 2018, endorsed him in early January. The state’s other House Democrat, Representative Dave Loebsack, has endorsed Mr. Buttigieg.
The endorsement comes as campaigning in the presidential primary resumes in force, after a week in which the senators who are running were confined to Washington for the impeachment trial of President Trump. After an abbreviated impeachment session on Saturday, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar were scheduled to fly to Iowa to resume their courting of the state’s Democrats, who will start the nominating process on Feb. 3 with caucuses across the state.
Ms. Axne is set to appear with Mr. Biden on Saturday night when he holds a campaign event in her district in Ankeny, a suburb of Des Moines. Earlier Saturday, Mr. Biden was scheduled to hold an event in Salem, N.H., before flying to Iowa.
On the campaign trail, Mr. Biden stresses the importance of choosing a Democratic presidential nominee who will help candidates down the ballot, and he frequently cites his efforts campaigning for Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterm elections, when the party won control of the House.On the campaign trail, Mr. Biden stresses the importance of choosing a Democratic presidential nominee who will help candidates down the ballot, and he frequently cites his efforts campaigning for Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterm elections, when the party won control of the House.
“Who do they most want to run with?” Mr. Biden said in Claremont, N.H., on Friday, noting the importance of keeping control of the House. “Who will most help them from the top of the ticket? That’s for you to decide. Obviously, I think I’m the guy.”“Who do they most want to run with?” Mr. Biden said in Claremont, N.H., on Friday, noting the importance of keeping control of the House. “Who will most help them from the top of the ticket? That’s for you to decide. Obviously, I think I’m the guy.”
Ms. Axne’s district includes Iowa’s most populous city, Des Moines, and covers the southwestern corner of the state. President Barack Obama won the district in 2012, but Mr. Trump carried it in 2016. Two years later, in the midterm elections, Ms. Axne unseated Representative David Young, a two-term Republican. Ms. Axne’s district includes Iowa’s most populous city, Des Moines, and covers the southwestern corner of the state. President Barack Obama won the district in 2012, but Mr. Trump carried it in 2016. Two years later, in the midterm elections, Ms. Axne unseated a two-term Republican, David Young.
Ms. Axne said she believed that Mr. Biden would drive turnout in districts like hers, and emphasized the importance of protecting the Democratic majority in the House.Ms. Axne said she believed that Mr. Biden would drive turnout in districts like hers, and emphasized the importance of protecting the Democratic majority in the House.
“Any message that doesn’t focus on hope and bringing this country together, that doesn’t have solid pragmatic solutions to solve the issues that we’re seeing today, if we don’t have somebody who has that type of message, I do believe it could hurt folks like us,” she said. “Any message that doesn’t focus on hope and bringing this country together, that doesn’t have solid, pragmatic solutions to solve the issues that we’re seeing today, if we don’t have somebody who has that type of message, I do believe it could hurt folks like us,” she said.
She also nodded to what she suggested was Mr. Biden’s broad appeal. “I truly believe that there are Iowans that would have some difficulty with some of the positions by other people running in this party,” she said.She also nodded to what she suggested was Mr. Biden’s broad appeal. “I truly believe that there are Iowans that would have some difficulty with some of the positions by other people running in this party,” she said.
Mr. Biden campaigned in Iowa this past week with another House member from a swing district, Representative Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania. This weekend, Ms. Finkenauer, Representative Colin Allred of Texas and Representative Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania are scheduled to campaign for Mr. Biden in the state in what his campaign is billing as a “We Know Joe” tour.