Biden Claims Baker’s Dozen, Nears Obama in Endorsement Race

November 14th, 2007 · No Comments

Delaware Sen. Joe Biden has popped up another rung in race for Iowa legislative endorsements with today’s announcement that Iowa Rep. Mary Gaskill of Ottumwa has thrown support behind his presidential campaign. The endorsement brings Biden’s total to 13, two behind the campaign for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, which has 15.

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton continues to lead the pack with 16 endorsements. Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards maintains nine endorsements while Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd has three. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel have not yet been endorsed by a member of the Iowa legislature. Twenty-seven Democratic members of the state legislature remain uncommitted.

Gaskill, a key endorsement in south-eastern Iowa, is serving her second term in the House for Iowa’s 93rd District. She serves on the Environmental Protection Committee, the State Government Committee, the Transportation Committee and as chairwoman of the Local Government Committee. Prior to being elected to the Iowa House, she served 16 years at the Wapello County Auditor. As a legislator she has remained an ally to voting integrity activists, having sponsored legislation that would require random audits of voting machines and paper trails.

?I believe that Sen. Joe Biden has the breadth of experience on foreign policy and record of bipartisan leadership on domestic issues our country so desperately needs,? Gaskill said in a prepared statement. ?From the Biden exit plan for Iraq to his landmark Violence Against Women Act, Sen. Biden has proven he can build bipartisan consensus on the most important challenges facing our country. He is sincere, authentic and I believe he is the best candidate the democrats have — and that is why I am supporting him.?

Other state legislators who have endorsed Biden for president are Sen. Joe Seng of Davenport, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines, Speaker Pro Tempore Polly Butka of Clinton, Rep. John Whitaker of Hillsboro, Rep. Doris Kelly of Waterloo, Rep. Lisa Heddens of Ames, Rep. Jim Lykam of Davenport, Rep. Mike Reasoner of Creston, Rep. Dick Taylor of Cedar Rapids, Rep. Roger Thomas of Elkader, Rep. McKinley Bailey of Webster City and Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach of Ames.