De Blasio's Escape From New York Includes Iowa Voters' Welcome

[TexasTowelie]

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio embarked on his long shot presidential campaign, venturing into some of the most sparsely populated parts of Iowa, and unlike the skepticism he’s received from his home town, voters seemed eager to hear him out and were respectful of his accomplishments as the leader of the most populous U.S. city.

Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post ran a front page composite photo of people laughing and munching popcorn in reaction to his candidacy, depicting him as a circus clown, and Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson recalled de Blasio’s awkward lost grip on a woodchuck who later died after Groundhog Day in 2014, asking, “Are we ready to put America in his hands?”

The critics also include some of his past political allies, including state Attorney General Letitia James, who served with de Blasio in the City Council and described him as a friend while also saying “we need a mayor who is going to be on the job 24 hours a day.” Former political consultants who helped him achieve two overwhelming mayoral election victories aren’t working for him on this campaign.

De Blasio’s chances at overcoming his underdog status might be better if he had ignited more enthusiasm among New Yorkers. An April 3 Quinnipiac University poll found that 76% of city voters said he should not run. His negative job approval rating -- 42% to 44% -- doesn’t help, although he’s popular among 66% of the city’s black voters.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-18/de-blasio-s-escape-from-new-york-includes-iowa-voters-welcome?srnd=premium

[delisen]

1. Are the candidates a major industry in Iowa?

[dalton99a]

3. Not really:

https://businessrecord.com/Content/Economic-Development/Economic-Development/Article/Economic-impact-of-the-Iowa-caucuses/181/975/55028
Economic impact of the Iowa caucuses
Big boost in national exposure, slight boost in economy
BY CHELSEA KEENAN, Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 7:00 AM

Edwards said the visitors bureau estimated the caucuses brought in $17 million to Greater Des Moines, a number the organization came to by calculating hotel room stays, candidate and staff visits, political tourist estimates and incremental income. These were measured from March 2011 through Jan. 4, 2012.

In the run-up to the 2008 caucuses, when there was an open seat and both parties had competitive races, Edwards said Greater Des Moines saw about $25 million.

However, David Swenson, an associate scientist with the Iowa State University economics department, has a less optimistic opinion on the matter. He said that, given the exposure and media attention, the caucuses appear to bring in more money than they actually do.

He conducted a study four years ago looking at the campaign expenditures during the last two quarters leading up to the Iowa caucuses and found that, out of the $352 million candidates spent on the election, only about 5 percent of that, or $15.6 million, was spent in Iowa.

Swenson said a big reason so much money is spent outside Iowa is that in order for candidates to do well here, they need to hire an experienced staff and do major fund raising, things done outside the Hawkeye State.

“They’re spending a lot of money in Virginia, D.C. and New York,” he said. “They go where the money is, and that is not in Iowa.”

[msongs]

2. giving new yorkers a vacation, bet they're happy nt