In Iowa, Gephardt Struggles to Keep a Key Constituency

[Khephra]

In Iowa, Gephardt Struggles to Keep a Key Constituency

By Terry M. Neal
washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 17, 2003; 12:00 AM


One by one, Iowa's labor unions lined up behind Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (Mo.). The machinists. The steelworkers. The Teamsters, among others. In Iowa, where stress over America's shrinking manufacturing base runs high, they all said Gephardt was the guy who could best represent their interests in the White House.

But then something surprising happened. Polls started showing that former Vermont governor Howard Dean had moved ahead of Gephardt in Iowa. Even more shocking was this: One poll showed Gephardt trailing Dean in union households. How could it be that a virtual unknown from a tiny New England state could be leading the well-known pol from nearby St. Louis, who has led his party in Washington for years and stood up to both a Democratic and a Republican president on a host of trade of issues?

"Our membership is like everyone else in the state -- they watch the news," said Chuck Rocha, Gephardt's labor director, who is on leave from his permanent job as national political director of the United Steelworkers of America in Pittsburgh. "They see all the stuff about Dean. But it's early, and when start to get the information, you're going to see Dick Gephardt become the overwhelming favorite."

That education process has begun.

more.............................

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21141-2003Sep16.html

[dfong63]

1. amazing - go DEAN

[BuelahWitch]

2. Dick ate and ran at the Harkin Steak Fry last Saturday

So maybe Iowa isn't that important to him after all :shrug:

[Jim Sagle]

3. Maybe he was looking for his eyebrows.

[loyalsister]

4. It's over for Gep

Clark will steal more votes from these union households.