March 29, 2024

Gov. Bullock will compete everywhere to beat Donald Trump

Iowans have the unique opportunity to help choose party Presidential nominees at their caucuses. When I speak with fellow Democrats, all of us agree that defeating the current President is of the utmost importance.

My personal opinion is that most any of the Democratic Presidential candidates has the capability and smarts to be a much better President than the one we currently have. What I don’t hear nearly as much is how their candidate might bring over voters who chose Trump in 2016, but have misgivings about voting for him again in 2020. It’s imperative that we Democrats nominate a candidate that disaffected Republicans and Independents will vote for.

Steve Bullock is that candidate. In the red state of Montana, where Trump won by 20 points in 2016, Democrat Steve Bullock won re-election to a second term as Governor. Democrats, Republicans and Independents agreed that this intelligent, skilled, former two-term Attorney General could effectively govern. And they were correct: Bullock was successful in guiding legislation that enabled nearly 100,000 people to gain health insurance, and in so doing protected hospitals in small towns across the state. He’s also been the rare politician who’s been able to restrict big money in his state’s elections.

Candidates win when they compete everywhere and prove to folks that they’ll fight for everyone. That candidate who’s demonstrated they can do that and can beat Donald Trump has earned my support: Gov. Steve Bullock.

Laura Engel

Newton