Martin O'Malley announces 17 Iowa endorsements

Democratic presidential hopeful Martin O'Malley's campaign announced endorsements Tuesday by 17 Iowans, including county party chairs, legislators and a former congressman.

In an announcement, Iowa Deputy State Director Kristin Sosanie said the endorsements are evidence that O'Malley's retail approach to campaigning across the state is working. Though he remains low in polls, the former Maryland governor has spent more time in Iowa than any of his Democratic competitors.

Rival Hillary Clinton's campaign saw its own major endorsement from an Iowan over the Labor Day weekend, with U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack throwing his support behind her campaign.

The O'Malley endorsements announced Tuesday include:

Rich Taylor, Iowa state senator

Dan Kelley, Iowa state representative

Berkley Bedell, former U.S. congressman

Joe Judge, Monroe County party chair

Mary Hoyer, Henry County party chair

Carol Gordon, Grundy County party chair

Donna Crum, Mills County party chair

Melinda Jones, Wapello County party chair

Larry Hodgden, Cedar County party chair

Bev Strayhall, Scott County vice party chair

Nathan Blake, Des Moines school board

John Murphy, Dubuque County recorder

Steve Siegel, Wapello County supervisor

Kim Boggus, Iowa Democratic Party state central committee member

Julie Stewart, Iowa Democratic Party state central committee member

Mary Burke, member of the Service Employees International Union

Edgar Ortiz, Latino community activist

Dispute arose after a statement was issued to the Iowa Starting Line blog on behalf of Ortiz, a candidate in Tuesday's Des Moines school board election, saying he did not authorize the O'Malley campaign to use his name as an endorser.

The statement said Ortiz would back the candidate that the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union chooses to endorse.

Sosanie told The Des Moines Register that O'Malley's staff spoke with Ortiz as recently as Tuesday morning, and he'd approved the endorsement. Ortiz was featured in a video released on YouTube by the campaign on Tuesday.

"I'm committed to caucus for Martin O'Malley because he has a plan for comprehensive immigration reform," Ortiz said in the video.

Ortiz could not be immediately reached by The Des Moines Register for comment.