Iowa caucus-goers’ top concerns appear to be health care and climate change, according to data analysis by the Des Moines Register.
An analysis of more than 300 questions asked by potential voters at 46 candidate events over the course of 30 days found 27 questions about climate or environmental issues. The candidate receiving the most climate-related questions was former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), with seven, followed by Rep. Eric SwalwellEric Michael SwalwellNASCAR bans display of Confederate flag from events and properties Gloves come off as Democrats fight for House seat in California Grenell says intelligence community working to declassify Flynn-Kislyak transcripts MORE (D-Calif.) and Sen. Cory BookerCory Anthony BookerRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-N.J.), each with four.
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Candidates were asked 33 questions about health care. The candidate asked most about the issue was former Gov. John HickenlooperJohn HickenlooperGun control group rolls out first round of Senate endorsements The Hill’s Campaign Report: Republicans go on attack over calls to ‘defund the police’ Hickenlooper ethics questions open him up to attack MORE (D-Colo.), who was asked about it 11 times, followed by Booker, who was asked four times. The issue represented about 10 percent of the questions in the Register’s sample.
The newspaper logged 21 questions relating to education, with O’Rourke again leading with seven questions, followed by Booker with four and Sen. Kirsten GillibrandKirsten GillibrandWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Warren, Pressley introduce bill to make it a crime for police officers to deny medical care to people in custody Senate Dems press DOJ over coronavirus safety precautions in juvenile detention centers MORE (D-N.Y.) with three.
Candidates were also asked about varying issues that in some cases were specific to the region, such as a question to Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) about increasing suicide rates among farmers, while others were specific to candidates themselves, such as questions to O’Rourke and Booker about their financial and political ties to charter schools.
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Personal questions about the candidates also made up a significant portion of the questions, with the newspaper’s sample including 18 such questions, including one to Booker about his family, which led the New Jersey senator to discuss his relationship with actress Rosario Dawson, which he made public in response to questions about the prospect of a bachelor as president.
“I’m sure it drives communications professionals and staff crazy going off the script like that,” Jake Oeth, who led former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley’s 2016 Iowa caucus campaign, told the Register. “But I think it allows the candidate an opportunity to connect on a personal level with the caucus-goer by answering their question specifically. To be fully prepared to be president, I think you should be able to answer questions on the issues of the day without having a two-hour prep session or poll-testing an issue.”