The Iowa Democratic Party Women’s Constituency Caucus hosted Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) chair Rita Hart for a Q& A session on Thursday, April 27, at 8 pm. Hart fielded questions from the board and from the nearly fifty attendees about how the IDP plans to address issues of specific concern to women and what we can do to improve policy outcomes for Iowa. Below are points from the discussion. Hart’s closing statement: “Let’s make some good things happen!”
· Change is needed. We all woke up disillusioned after the 2022 election and knew we needed change, but it doesn’t happen magically. It’s going to take hard work, and it’s going to take all of us bringing our experience, talents, and skills in a way that’s practical for each person. Hart’s favorite story is about moving rocks at the farm where she grew up. It was difficult and seemed like it would never get done, but with the whole family working at it the fields were less hazardous. She told the attendees, “You know how to work hard too.”
· Fundraising is key. With so few state-level elected officials, fundraising is a challenge. Hart has a small staff but needs to add a good communications manager and finance manager. Reaching fundraising goals is a box that needs to be checked this year. The better-funded the IDP is, Hart said, the more democrats can get elected and get legislation passed.
· Steering committee Hart has organized a steering committee that includes Democratic Senate leader Zach Wahls, House leader Jennifer Konfrst, and State Auditor Rob Sand. The group has a lot of expertise and can steer the party in the right direction. Some issues they’re addressing are structural (updating bylaws and doing county outreach) as well as communications and messaging.
· Robust county parties. County parties need to be strengthened. The Ambassador Program involves volunteers so won’t cost anything, but it’s intended to help smaller county parties get to a more robust place by this time next year.
· Messaging–rural and overall. Rural Iowans’ needs are like anyone else’s; they want a nearby grocery store, health care, and lower cost of living. We need to have conversations with people, develop relationships. Hart talked about how you need to have three conversations with a farmer before ever talking about business. Relate based on what you have in common, then talk about issues. Get to know reporters in your area and write letters to the editor. Have a Letters to the Editor group in your county. There can be a template, and local people can put talking points into their own words. Teachers could write about teaching; nurses or EMTs could write about health care. That way it’s not Democrats filling up the opinion page, just regular people. Messaging on reproductive rights: Government intervention in personal decisions is not “Iowa Nice.” You are the best messenger.
· Recruiting candidates. Women asked to run are likely to say, “Oh no, not me,” and you tend to back off. But stay with them and get them to, “Oh, maybe I should take this on.” Empower the county parties; they’re the ones who know these folks. Counties need recruiting committees that can create a pipeline to state offices by recruiting to school boards, library boards, planning and zoning commissions, and other offices.