In Iowa, the field of Democratic presidential candidates splits into haves and have-nots

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

SIOUX CITY, Iowa —Julián Castro had shaken every hand in an Iowa lawyer’s living room, and patiently waited to deliver his presidential stump speech to the 57 Democrats who’d turned out to hear it. But the people in the dining room nibbling on pita chips hadn’t gotten the message — and didn’t tune into the former San Antonio mayor until a man standing near the front put two fingers into his mouth and blew a loud, shrill whistle to silence the room.

A day later and 200 miles across the state in Ankeny, Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) marched onstage to a standing ovation and looked out on a room still filling with voters. Her first public Iowa campaign event drew 760 people and left staffers scrambling to add extra seats.

Half a dozen prominent Democrats descended on Iowa this weekend, seeking momentum for a primary presidential campaign or testing whether to plunge into an already-crowded field. This weekend, Iowa forked into two campaigns.

On one side was Harris, who continues to draw the large, selfie-seeking crowds she has enjoyed since announcing her bid. On the other side was everyone else, Democrats like Castro, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose crowds numbered in the double digits and who dubbed themselves underdogs as they implored Iowans to keep an open mind.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/in-iowa-the-field-of-democratic-presidential-candidates-splits-into-haves-and-have-nots/ar-BBU1hWh?li=BBnb7Kz

[msongs]

1. in what is basically a celebrity contest the ones with most $$ to self promote get the big

crowds. on suspects Iowa in winter is lacking in things to do involving celebrities tho

[Byronic]

4. Quite right.

At this stage it's a celebrity contest. Nobody has proved anything yet. It's a very long road.

I like to think that a smaller, less-funded, less initially well-known, candidate can still pull a Jimmy Carter, win Iowa and come from nowhere.

[Garrett78]

2. This isn't really a surprise. Harris is just incredibly charismatic and likeable.

She thrives in a town hall setting.

If she's our nominee, we will see massive Democratic turnout.

[Trenzalore]

3. We have great candidates running

It is a big field and not everyone will catch interest.

Hopefully we are down to about 8 people by August.