Anesa Kajtazovic’s ‘new voice’ resonates with older generation of progressives

CEDAR RAPIDS - She may be touted as the voice of a new generation, but Anesa Kajtazovic is resonating with an older generation that sees her as a new flag-bearer for their progressive values.

'These are things we've wanted to get done for a long time,” Janet Manatt of Cedar Rapids said after hearing Kajtazovic, 27, talk about her American Dream Agenda of education, economic security and energy security at a campaign fundraiser in Cedar Rapids Monday night.

'All of the things she talks about have been important to me for a long time,” added Gary Widdel of Cedar Rapids. He's narrowed his choice to three of the five candidates running to succeed Democrat Rep. Bruce Braley - whose mother has endorsed Kajtazovic.

The appeal of the 'new generation” candidate to 'old generation” voters like him is simple, Widdel said.

'I've got grandkids, so I'm looking at what their lives are going to be like,” he said. 'I want to make sure their lives are better.”

He plans to submit his absentee ballot this week 'and it's hers to lose,” Widdel said about the second-term Iowa House member from Waterloo.

Steve Sovern of Cedar Rapids made a case for Kajtazovic, telling Widdel and more than 50 others that while everyone is talking about growing the middle class, she's addressing the barrier to making that happen.

'As long as money is in charge of politics, politics will be responsive to money,” he said.

Kajtazovic told her audience that the current system of financing campaigns is a 'huge threat” to achieving their shared values and goals.

She claimed to be the only candidate talking about campaign finance reform 'and I won't stop because it's so crucial to our future and it's the right thing to do.”

That resonated with Stef McGraw, a recent University of Northern Iowa graduate from Cedar Rapids. She's impressed that Kajtazovic is 'realistic and doesn't talk around the issues.”

Kajtazovic inspires her 'because she's not bogged down in pessimism.”

'Our generation can make a difference,” McGraw said.