Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is finishing up her first trip to Iowa since her New Year’s Eve announcement that she is considering running for president in 2020. Iowa is the first state in the nation to hold its caucuses.
The Democratic senator talked a lot about the federal government investing too much in America’s wealthy and well-connected at her events in Council Bluffs, Sioux City and Des Moines. She called for big structural changes in Washington, the economy and politics.
Sen. Warren told crowds Saturday she’s working on building a grassroots team early.
“The direction we go will in part be set right here in Iowa,” Warren told the crowd at her final event in Des Moines where she addressed her hoarse voice.
“The bad news is I’ve caught a cold. The good news is nevertheless I persist,” she said to laughter and applause.
In Storm Lake, Warren held a roundtable with the city’s police chief, superintendent of schools and a social worker. They discussed immigration and mental health issues.
“Every week, sometimes every day in this small community, our officers deal with mental health issues in the schools and with adults,” Storm Lake Police Chief Mark Prosser told the crowd. “And [officers] stand for hours with individuals in emergency rooms because there are no beds for emergency placement anywhere in the state.”
“I’m actually surprised that Elizabeth Warren found Storm Lake, Iowa on the map and is coming here,” Barbara Stroud of Newell said as she waited to hear Sen. Warren speak. Ultimately, Stroud couldn’t get into the event but Warren came out and spoke to those who were turned away.
There will likely be plenty of other opportunities for Iowans to see Sen. Warren speak. The first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses will be held on February 3rd, 2020.
