Iowa Democrats look to Trump for party unity

DES MOINES — Unity was the main dish at the Iowa Democratic Party's annual Hall of Fame Dinner on Friday night.

'Nothing is impossible if we work together,' party chairwoman Andy McGuire told those at the dinner. 'We come together as Democrats united in the belief that if we come together we can make the world a better place,'

However, Democrats acknowledged that sense of unity is being challenged by the lingering divisions between supporters of Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Clinton eked out a 49.9 percent to 49.6 percent victory over Sanders in the Iowa precinct caucuses.

While Clinton supporters are optimistic that Sanders' supporters will join them in the general election campaign, they say the jury still is out.

'I don't know what will happen,' Jerry Lynch of Dubuque said, referring to the party's state convention where a number of national convention delegates will be elected today.

There's been speculation this week that Sanders delegates will try to gain control of the party by electing as many of his supporters as possible to party posts. The convention is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. today at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.

In addition to honoring several party members, Democrats heard from Ryan McDaniel, who graduated from both Marshalltown High School and Marshalltown Community College in May. McDaniel is an LGBT activist and 2016 recipient of the Eychaner Foundation's Matthew Shepard Scholarship to the University of Iowa.

He filled in North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp as the keynote speaker, who, according to the party, was unable to attend because of schedule conflicts. Heitkamp has fallen out of favor with many Democrats because of her pro-gun rights stance and, especially in Iowa, because of her support for building the Bakken pipeline.

The issue at hand for Iowa Democrats is uniting the party behind Clinton, who has clinched the nomination.

Gary Holthaus of West Union would like Sanders to concede defeat but said his recent pledge to help defeat Trump might be enough of a signal for his supporters to get behind Clinton.

'I'm hoping the Sanders crowd will get behind her because we definitely need that,' the Fayette County farmer said.

Without a Sanders' concession, Clinton supporters are hoping Trump will provide the key to unity.

'He makes such terrible statements that I think it will be 'Anybody but Trump,'' said former Iowa Senate President Jack Kibbie of Emmetsburg.

'Every time he opens his mouth he unifies us more,' added Clinton supporter Charles Hutton of Ankeny.

Awards

Awards and recipients at the Democratic Party's event were:

• Outstanding elected official: Sen. Mike Gronstal

• Outstanding supporter: Ken Sagar, Iowa Federation of Labor president

• Minette Doderer Award for Outstanding Leadership: Rep. Sharon Steckman

• Jim Lodwick Award for Outstanding State Central Committee Member: Jean Pardee, longest serving committee member

• Bob Creech Award for Outstanding Democratic Party Chair: Laura Hubka, Howard County chair

• Dixon Terry Award for Outstanding Democratic Party Activist: Randy Black, chair of the Iowa Democratic Wing Ding Committee

• Edward Campbell Rising Star Award: Blake Hanson