(Des Moines, IA) Today, Democrat Cindy Axne announces the first round of key endorsees of her campaign. Grassroots momentum continues to grow around the Axne campaign as they release over 40 names of influencers, grassroots activists, and party officials who are making a difference in Iowans lives.
On release of the endorsement list, Cindy was quoted saying “I’m humbled to release a diverse list of personal endorsements from individuals who are making a difference in Iowans’ lives. Our campaign is focused on the issues that matter most to Iowa families, like our healthcare system, environment and bringing good jobs back to Iowa.” Axne continued “That’s why I’m proud to have leaders in those fields working with our campaign for Congress, so we can hit the ground running in Washington to bring real solutions to Iowa families.”
Personal Endorsees of Cindy’s Campaign
Eric Tabor, Chief Deputy Attorney General
Renee Hardman, City Councilwoman, West Des Moines
Dr. Robert Shaw, Board member, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland
Peggy Huppert, Executive Director, The National Alliance on Mental Illness – Iowa
Loretta Sieman, Former City Councilwoman, City of West Des Moines
Donna Crum, Chair, Mills County Democrats
Ralph Rosenberg, Former State Senator, State House Representative, and Former Executive Director, Iowa Environmental Council
Reyma McCoy McDeid, Chair Grey Area Democrats
Louis Lavorato, Former Justice, Iowa Supreme Court
Dale Cochran, Former Secretary of Agriculture, Iowa
China Wong, 2017 Woman Business Owner of the Year – Salon W
Rhonda Martin, City Councilwoman, City of Johnston
Alicia Claypool, Former Chairperson, Iowa Civil Rights Commission and Co-Founder of Iowa Safe Schools
Patricia Higby, Board Member, Iowa Wind Energy Association
Mary LaHay, President, Iowa Friends of Companion Animals
Doctor Mary Mincer Hansen, Former Director, Iowa Department of Public Health
Mike Draper, Business Owner, RayGun
Jackie Wellman, Community Activist, West Des Moines
Mike Matson, Alderman, City of Davenport
Tom Narak, Retired Superintendent, West Des Moines Public School System
Rachel Scott, Former Administrator, Iowa Commission on the Status of Women
Kerry Bowen, Chair, Windsor Heights Democrats
Roz Lehman, Former Director, Iowa Rivers Revival
Marcia Wanamaker, 3rd Vice Chair, Dallas County Democrats
Ruth Thompson, Vice-Chair, Iowa Democratic Party Disability Caucus
Julie and Alan Feirer, Community Activists, Madison County
Lynn Graves, Founding Member of the United Way of Central Iowa Women’s Leadership Initiative
Art Behn, Treasurer, Dallas County Democrats
Devin Kelly, Chair, Iowa Democratic Party Stonewall Caucus
Doctor Yogesh Shah, Director, Palliative Care Services at Broadlawns Medical Center
Susan Webster, Community Activist and Precinct Captain, Des Moines
Joleen Jansen, District Program Coordinator, Clayton County Clean Energy
Dylan Funk, Vice-Chair, Iowa Democratic Party Progressive Caucus
Dian Curran, Vice-Chair, Iowa Democratic Party Native American Caucus
Kathy Collins, Former Attorney for Iowa Department of Education and School Administrators of Iowa
Paul Danforth, Clinical Social Worker and Community Leader
Cornelia Mutel, Ecologist, and Environmental Author
Vickee Adams, Former Chair, Dallas County Democrats
Rebecca Boyd Dublinske, Board Member, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland
Alice Hodde, Treasurer Fremont County Democrats
Patricia Boddy, Former Deputy Director at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Timothy Kacena, Iowa House of Representative District 14
About Cindy:
Cindy was raised in a tight-knit family on the South Side of Des Moines by parents who met at a church picnic. Cindy’s childhood included weekends and summers spent on her maternal grandparents’ farm in Warren County, 4-H activities, and playing 6-on-6 basketball for the Valley High Tigers.From 2005 to 2014, Cindy worked for the State of Iowa, helping state agencies deliver government services more effectively and efficiently and saving tens of millions for Iowa taxpayers. Since then, she has focused on growing the digital design firm she runs with her husband John.
In 2007, when her older son started kindergarten, Cindy learned that full-day kindergarten was not available to every child in West Des Moines public schools, with eligibility determined by a lottery. Cindy was outraged at the inequity of the system and concerned that students were being shortchanged. She spent the following academic year advocating and negotiating with principals, the school board and the superintendent. After nearly a year, her efforts paid off and full-day kindergarten was made available to all students in the district.Cindy is active in her church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and serves as a mentor with the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of Iowa. She lives in West Des Moines with her husband John and their teenage sons, Gunnar and Rafe.
The 3rd Congressional District covers Iowa’s southwest corner, and includes Polk, Dallas, Guthrie, Warren, Madison, Adair, Cass, Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont, Page, Montgomery, Taylor, Adams, Union and Ringgold counties.
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