December 4, 2007

Contact:

Josh Earnest
Tommy Vietor

DES MOINES – In advance of Senator Obama’s trip to Iowa City today, the Obama Campaign announced the endorsement of local State Senator Joe Bolkcom.  Bolkcom cited Obama’s work as a community organizer in Chicago and experience bringing people together to create fundamental change.

“Barack Obama knows that real change happens from the bottom up, not the top down,” Senator Bolkcom said.  “He passed up lucrative job opportunities on Wall Street and prestigious clerkships in Washington to go back to the South Side of Chicago and become a civil rights lawyer.  While there, he organized communities and registered voters in order to spark lasting change.  Obama’s community organizing roots and commitment to working across party, class, and racial divides to get things done make me confident he’s the best candidate to bring our country together and change Washington, D.C.”

Senator Bolkcom’s career in public service includes three terms as a State Senator in addition to six years on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors.  Bolkcom also worked for the county public health department and co-founded two senior citizen advocacy groups that fought to lower health care costs.  A Saint Ambrose University Graduate, Senator Bolkcom earned a Masters in Public Affairs from the University of Iowa.

“Our campaign is proud to have Senator Bolkcom’s support, and we look forward to working with him as we build our grassroots movement to challenge the conventional thinking in Washington, D.C. and truly transform our country,” said Obama.  “Senator Bolkcom will play a vital role in our outreach efforts in the Johnson County area and across the state.”

To date, including Senator Bolkcom, Senator Obama has received 18 endorsements from Iowa state legislators including Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, Rep. Deborah Berry, Sen. Bob Dvorsky, Rep. Elesha Gayman, Sen. Bill Heckroth, Rep. David Jacoby, Rep. Pam Jochum, Rep. Helen Miller, Sen. Rich Olive, Rep. Donovan Olson, Rep. Tyler Olson, Rep. Janet Petersen, Rep. Brian Quirk, Sen. Tom Rielly, Rep. Mark Smith, Sen. Steve Warnstadt, and Sen. Frank Wood.  Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald, and former Iowa Democratic Party Chair Gordon Fischer have also endorsed Senator Obama’s campaign for change.