Obama Touts Republican Crossovers

The campaign for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has been listening as Iowans have gathered in small groups to whisper about the one thing they most worry about: electability. In response to those concerns, the campaign has released a list of 268 Iowa Republicans who will be crossing party lines to caucus with Democrats on Jan. 3, 2008.

“To Iowans, electability means that we need to win this election,” said Dale Hedgecoth, one of Linn County for Obama’s most out-spoken and active volunteers. “There are some of these other candidates that are carrying too much baggage. We need a cross-over vote from Republicans in this primary and we need independents to come over as well. I believe that will happen at caucus time and, if Barack Obama is the candidate, I believe it will also happen during the general election.”

Hedgecoth estimates 15 percent of the people walking into and volunteering at the Linn County for Obama office are Republicans or former Republicans. Electing someone who can represent and find support on both sides of the political spectrum, he said, should go a long way to ending “the political gridlock” of recent years.

“With all the challenges our country faces, we cannot elect a president who will go to Washington and just get bogged down by the same partisan gridlock,” said Brett Blix, a 30-year-old Iraq war veteran from Northwood who switched his party registration to caucus for Obama. “That’s why I’m supporting Senator Obama even though I’m a Republican. He’s the only candidate in either party with a record of bringing Republicans and Democrats together to solve problems, and he will always tell you where he stands even when you disagree. There are thousands of disaffected Republicans like me who are disappointed by President Bush and the Republican presidential candidates who would consider voting for a Democrat who can bring about change we can believe in.”

The campaign is hoping outspoken people like Blix, combined with Obama’s third-place finish in a poll of Republican caucus-goers, will convince Iowans that electability isn’t an issue for Obama.

“I’ve always believed that you can only bring about real change when people come together across party lines, and I’ve seen what happens when folks put politics aside and get down to work,” Obama said in a prepared statement. “If you can’t bring people together across the old fault lines, you simply aren’t going to be able to make progress on the challenges we face.”

In recent weeks, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, former Mississippi Gov. Ray Mabus and former Oklahoma Congressman Brad Carson — all Democrats from red states — came to Iowa to discuss how Obama appeals to Republicans and Independents in their home states.

Iowa Republicans Who Have Announced They Will Caucus for Obama

Judy	Baas	Algona
Nancy	Mueller	Algona
David	Powell	Algona
Carolyn	Woodyard	Algona
Kevin	Hubka	Alta Vista
Michael	Di Marco	Ames
Michael	Kostboth	Ames
Susan	Olson	Ames
Cherri	Penner	Anamosa
Charles	Cushman	Ankeny
Leslie	Dotzenrod	Ankeny
Deborah	Graham	Ankeny
Monica	Green	Ankeny
Marcia	Hartman	Ankeny
Michele	Nettleton	Ankeny
Scott	Richardson	Ankeny
David	Brown	Atkins
Robert	Einhaus	Atlantic
Jerry	Grandquist	Atlantic
Alyce	Lane	Atlantic
Patricia	Nelson	Atlantic
Eugene	Smith	Atlantic
Richard	Roepke	Aurora
Rachelle	Deeter	Baxter
Marjorie	Blitgen	Bellevue
Curt	Hammond	Bellevue
Kathy	Ohlert	Bellevue
Juan	Anderson	Belmond
John	Wiese	Bennett
Mary	Engel	Bettendorf
Patricia	Harmon	Bettendorf
Lynn	Urban	Bloomfield
Sara	Oliver	Bondurant
Phyllis	Muse	Boone
James	Wilson	Boone
Ann	Earley	Brooklyn
Regina	Dobroski	Burlington
Tammie	Radhakrishnan	Burlington
Carol	Blincow	Carroll
Michael	Fitzsimmons	Carroll
Martin	Greenlee	Carroll
Andrew	Green	Cedar Falls
Lynette	Keefe	Cedar Falls
Debra	Nichols	Cedar Falls
Vicki	Sink	Cedar Falls
James	Sink	Cedar Falls
Cory	Wendel	Cedar Falls
Amy	Yates	Cedar Falls
Mark	Fiala	Cedar Rapids
Wendy	Freeman	Cedar Rapids
Mitchell	Haferbecker	Cedar Rapids
Richard	Hoth	Cedar Rapids
Mary	Miller	Cedar Rapids
Randy	Oakley	Cedar Rapids
Sharon	Rosenberg	Cedar Rapids
Harry	Rosenberg	Cedar Rapids
Donald	Rundle	Cedar Rapids
Laverne	Severson	Cedar Rapids
Brianna	Steitzer	Cedar Rapids
Jennifer	Zahradnik	Cedar Rapids
Emma Jean	Severson	Cedar Rapids
Norman	Garson	Charlotte
Ann	Peck	Cherokee
Eveline	Will	Cherokee
Tonya	Clinkenbeard	Cincinnati
Virginia	Cambier	Clarion
William	Norris	Clear Lake
Cathy	Swager	Clear Lake
Michelle	Markwardt	Clinton
Rachel	Olsen	Clinton
Ronald	Robbins	Clinton
Colin	Faux	Clive
Margarita	Pina	Coon Rapids
Shanita	Eze	Coralville
Christina	Robinson	Coralville
Nicholas	Sobocinski	Coralville
Anne	Crowl	Council Bluffs
Doreen	Knuth	Council Bluffs
Martin	Leiserowitz	Council Bluffs
Jennifer	Nelson-Hansen	Council Bluffs
Susan	Rumbin	Council Bluffs
Fannie	Carson	Creston
Michael	Harris	Creston
Lori	Tull	Creston
Denise	Moore	Cromwell
Marilyn	Anderson	Davenport
Amir	Arbisser	Davenport
Andrew	Barcus	Davenport
Linda	Behan	Davenport
Julie	Jaecques-Gere	Davenport
Janet	Olt	Davenport
Michele	Stoos	Davenport
Larry	Grimstad	Decorah
Diane	Grimstad	Decorah
Shannon	Jensen	Decorah
Kirk	Johnson	Decorah
Karen	Klotzbach	Decorah
Brenda	Meyer	Decorah
Kenneth	Bass	Des Moines
Rochelle	Bell	Des Moines
Lorraine	Eldredge	Des Moines
Jessica	Gathercole	Des Moines
Mark	Hinshaw	Des Moines
Douglas	Hutchison	Des Moines
Stephanie	Wolken	Des Moines
Mattie	Kitchen	Des Moines
Roderick	Lewis	Des Moines
Angela	Riley	Des Moines
Alyson	Simmons	Des Moines
Stephanie	Smith	Des Moines
Courtney	Starbuck	Des Moines
Gail	Stutz	Des Moines
James	Sullivan	Des Moines
Brenda	Turner	Des Moines
Suzanne	Vocal	Des Moines
Mathieu	Vocal	Des Moines
Jonathan	Wolken	Des Moines
Jason	Wortock	Des Moines
April	Blasen	Dubuque
Margaret	Brewer	Dubuque
Mark	Burns	Dubuque
Madeline	Cairney	Dubuque
Jason	Cluff	Dubuque
Patrick	Hoy	Dubuque
John	Kalb	Dubuque
Mark	Klein	Dubuque
William	Smith	Dubuque
Sarah	Tayloe	Dubuque
John	Mehlert	Dysart
Garnet	Mehlert	Dysart
Jeannine	Wingert	Earling
Melissa	Grother	Eldridge
Michelle	Gifford	Elkader
Margaret	Beshey	Fort Dodge
Charlene	Thompson	Fruitland
Valesca	Gaylord	Glenwood
Barbara	Brockelsby	Glidden
Connie	Hansen	Greenfield
Eddy	Hansen	Greenfield
Douglas	Freeman	Grinnell
Ora	Gondwe	Grinnell
Lisa	Sharp	Grinnell
Gary	Weideman	Griswold
Jennifer	Meier	Guthrie Center
Steven	Smith	Guthrie Center
Janice	Hershey	Hampton
John	Leinen	Hampton
Dixie	Gambaiana	Hawarden
Timothy	Oneill	Hedrick
Rebecca	Flannery	Hinton
Beverly	Juhl	Independence
Nick	Nichols	Indianola
Amber	Short	Indianola
Ryan	Carey	Iowa City
Margaret	Ebert	Iowa City
Mark	Logan	Iowa City
Sacha	Wyckoff	Iowa City
Mindy	Loll	Iowa City
Valdeva	McCord	Iowa Falls
Jerry	Peckumn	Jefferson
Peter	Holmgren	Johnston
Dorothy	Sparland	Johnston
Jayson	Campbell	Keokuk
Emmanuel	Dass	Keokuk
Ruth	Egeland	Keokuk
Flossie	Scott	Keokuk
Larry	Fuson	La Porte City
Carolyn	Fuson	La Porte City
Linda	Phillips	Lamoni
Victory	Throndson	Lawler
Ramona	Lang	Le Mars
Michelle	Baldwin	Leon
Robert	Raine	Logan
Deanna	McDermott	Manchester
Cody	Venzke	Manly
David	Jost	Maquoketa
Arlene	Pennington	Marion
Stanley	Wierson	Marion
Carol	Wohlleben	Marion
Eldon	Wohlleben	Marion
Angie	Johnson	Marion
Jerry	Johnson	Marion
David	Perkins	Marshalltown
John	Sagar	Marshalltown
Carole	Lerch	Martelle
Peter	Children	Mason City
Susan	Kading	Menlo
Jack	Kading	Menlo
Scott	Allen	Monticello
Jo	Bader	Monticello
Max	Buckner	Mount Ayr
Joleen	Nelson Woods	Mount Vernon
Danny	Cornell	Mt Pleasant
Garth	Ganka	Mt Pleasant
Robert	Struble	Mt Pleasant
Patricia	Collins	Muscatine
Thomas	Kindler	Muscatine
Janet	Kindler	Muscatine
Margaret	Wilson	Muscatine
Richard	Wilson	Muscatine
Gerald	Dietz	Nashua
Kathleen	Boss	New Hampton
Lisa	Bernal	Newton
Debra	Simmons	Newton
Sibyl	Smith	Newton
Brett	Blix	Northwood
Ronnie	Millard	Oelwein
Kathy	Millard	Oelwein
Hazel	Orr	Orient
James	Orr	Orient
Michael	Walker	Orient
Mark	Meier	Perry
Clarence	Busch	Persia
Marilyn	Porter	Polk City
Christopher	Schnuelle	Postville
Marlys	Sowers	Postville
Deann	Frisk	Randall
Richard	Baldwin	Red Oak
Sharon	Parrish	Red Oak
Jeannie	Melhus	Reinbeck
Jolene	Rogers	Ringsted
Evelyn	Baldwin	Rock Rapids
Gary	Patton	Rock Rapids
Ronald	Smith	Sergeant Bluff
Mary	Harms	Shenandoah
Robin	Lane	Shenandoah
Maurice	Reavis	Shenandoah
Velesta	Reavis	Shenandoah
Shirley	Teachout	Shenandoah
Barry	Eldal	Sibley
Jennifer	Clark	Sidney
Heather	Slater	Sidney
Kerrie	Summers	Sioux Center
Cleo	Harder	Sioux City
Carleton	Helseth	Sioux City
Eloyce	Keating	Sioux City
Jennifer	Wyland	Sioux City
Leeann	Roberts	Solon
Benjamin	Sorden	Solon
Theresa	Sedlacek	Solon
Caleb	Stoever	Spencer
Earl	Dick	Stuart
Betty	Dick	Stuart
Erin	Heitland	Thorton
Barbara	Cary	Tipton
Connie	Bouhaik	Urbandale
Teri	Wagoner	Urbandale
Carolyn	Phippen	Vinton
Ruby	Abebe	Waterloo
Carol	Butler	Waterloo
Edward	Madlock	Waterloo
Gary	Olson	Waterloo
David	Rainey	Waterloo
Lee	Anderson	Waukon
Roxanne	Mills	Waverly
Janene	Studer	Wesley
David	Camp	West Burlington
Steven	Young	West Burlington
Albert	Ngoytz	West Des Moines
David	Basler	West Des Moines
Jan	Caruthers	West Des Moines
Sharon	Fisher	West Des Moines
Mark	Lacroix	West Des Moines
Margaret	Nelson	West Des Moines
Mark	Wellman	West Des Moines
Pauline	McAreavy	Williamsburg
James	Mease	Winterset
Jillian	Gaiser	Woodbine