Bay Area Democrats phone bank ahead of Iowa caucus
SAN FRANCISCO - Bay Area Democrats are throwing their energies into the upcoming Iowa caucuses Monday, calling Iowa voters from phone banks in California and even flying to the Hawkeye state to help garner support for their chosen candidate.
"I don't really see it as it's them over there and it's us over here. We're part of a movement to make a better America and it's really exciting to talk to people who might live in a different city than me but share those same goals," said Urvi Nagrani, a volunteer who was making calls from the Warren campaign's San Francisco office Wednesday night.
Bay Area Berniecrats are also calling Iowa voters, as the grassroots volunteers feel momentum with recent polls showing Senator Bernie Sanders neck in neck with Joe Biden in Iowa.
"It's all hands on deck. We only have a couple days left until the Iowa caucuses and we're clearly in the lead and we can totally win this thing but we need people to not to put their foot off the pedal but to slam it down and make sure we win big." said Brandon Harami, Chair of the San Francisco Berniecrats.
Some Bay Area Democrats have even flown to Iowa to campaign on the ground.
Biden supporter John Trasvina of San Francisco spoke with KTVU from the Biden campaign office in Davenport, Iowa.
"Today I've been walking door to door in the 24 degree weather," said Trasvina, "I'm going to stick it out until caucus Monday night down in Muscatine. There's a special caucus site for Spanish-speaking voters in order to facilitate turnout."
A new Monmouth University poll released Wednesday showed Biden with 23% support and Sanders rising close behind at 21%. Pete Buttigieg was next with 16% and Senator Elizabeth Warren had 15%. Senator Amy Klobuchar followed with 10% support, Tom Steyer had 4%, Andrew Yang 3% and Sen. Michael Bennet, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Deval Patrick and John Delaney receiving 1% or less. About 5% of those polled were undecided.
Candidates have been crisscrossing the Hawkeye State. Former Vice-President Joe Biden has been holding rallies while his closest rival Senator Sanders has been in Washington D.C., for the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump.
Pete Buttigieg also has been campaigning in Iowa, hoping to get an early win.
"I'd prefer to have this this whole election negotiated on the questions of policy," said Buttigieg.
Senator Elizabeth Warren spoke with supporters by phone, while Senator Amy Klobuchar dashed to Iowa between impeachment trial sessions, remembering the launch of her campaign last year.
"I don't think some people thought I was gonna make it through that announcement much less be right here a week before, six days before the Iowa caucuses. But I knew it. My staff knew it," said Klobuchar.
Sen. Bernie Sanders said he'd rather be on the campaign trail than the impeachment trial, and thanked volunteers who have been acting as surrogates while he was in Washington.
"Deeply impressed by the number of volunteers that we have who are knocking on doors in bitter cold weather. And I think we stand a great chance to win in Iowa," said Sanders.
California volunteers say they see this as an opportunity to build unity across the states and across the Democratic party.
"When we finish calling voters in Iowa, we're going to call some voters in Nevada because they're in a time zone closer to us. And so I think the primary season is an opportunity to connect with voters across the country talking about what we're for," said Nagrani.
The Iowa caucus will be held Monday February 3rd.