'I'm going to be here in the state over and over again': Andrew Yang prepares for final push before Iowa caucus

Gage Miskimen | The Des Moines Register

Show Caption Hide Caption Full speech: Andrew Yang speaks at disability forum Watch the full speech Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang gave, Nov. 2, 2019, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Ia. — Andrew Yang has been running for president for almost two years.

The founder of Venture for America, a nonprofit designed to help entrepreneurs start businesses has been to Iowa 23 times, including two Iowa State Fairs and two Wing Ding dinners, the first he headlined.

On Saturday, over 100 supporters packed into Lincoln's Pub in Council Bluffs sporting MATH hats, pins, and shirts. MATH is an acronym for "Make America Think Harder," a slogan of the campaign and an answer to President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" mantra.

And earlier this month, hundreds gathered in Des Moines to see Yang and supportive performers before the Iowa Democratic Party’s annual dinner.

That's some improvement from an event at the University of Iowa's Iowa Memorial Union over a year ago on Sept. 24, 2018. There, Yang spoke to a small handful of curious students in a small meeting room at the IMU.

"I enjoyed it still when the crowds were smaller and everything was more intimate but certainly it‘s even more fun when there are crowds of hundreds of people you know have already heard your message and are excited to make it real," Yang told the Des Moines Register at his Council Bluffs campaign office, which opened Saturday morning prior to his rally across the street at Lincoln's Pub.

In September 2018, Yang told The Daily Iowan that he needed to introduce himself to voters because "for most people, I'm going to be quite new."

But now, Yang is in the midst of $1 million in advertising buys in Iowa, pushing the idea of giving $1,000 a month to every U.S. citizen age 18 and older into Iowans’ TVs.

Yang now has more than a dozen campaign offices in Iowa, including two opened Saturday in Council Bluffs and Sioux City.

Going from intimate conversations with a few students to being one of the candidates gathering strength in various polls, Yang said he has seen the switch flip. He saw it specifically earlier this month in Des Moines.

"Giving a speech in front of 14,000 Iowans," Yang told the Register regarding the Liberty and Justice Dinner. "That was certainly one of the days where you look up and see how far you've come, but we're not content. The plan is to win. I believe we can compete and win here in Iowa."

After the debate earlier this week, hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post, Yang complained on Twitter about his lack of speaking time. He then rejected an on-air interview with MSNBC on Saturday.

Was asked to appear on @msnbc this weekend - and told them that I’d be happy to after they apologize on-air, discuss and include our campaign consistent with our polling, and allow surrogates from our campaign as they do other candidates’. They think we need them. We don’t. — Andrew Yang🧢 (@AndrewYang) November 23, 2019

But through all the serious campaigning, Yang is also having good time on the trail.

"I'm having a great time because of all the energy and enthusiasm around the campaign," Yang told the Register. "If you show up and you see that folks see the vision clearly and are energized to create a new way forward for the entire country, that energizes me."

The fun was evident in Council Bluffs. As he walked through the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd in the pub, giving hi-fives and taking selfies with supporters, his typical walk-out song, "Return of the Mack," the 1996 R&B hit by Mark Morrison blasted through the room.

Yang told members of the Yang Gang, the name his supporters call themselves, and curious Iowans and Nebraskans who came to see him speak that he appreciates how seriously Iowans take the caucuses.

"The downside (in Iowa is) you get bombarded by political ads," Yang said to the crowd in Lincoln's Pub. "Upside is that person will march into your local bar or living room and be like 'Hey I'm here too.'"

As he has before, Yang focused on the loss of jobs through automation and his plan for a universal basic income. His supporters have the answers to his crowd questions memorized as he shouts them out throughout his speech.

"How many Californians is each of you Iowans worth?"

1,000!

"How many of you noticed stores closing here in Iowa?... Why are they closing?"

Amazon!

"And how much did Amazon pay in taxes last year?"

Zero!

"Which state already has a universal basic income?"

Alaska!

"How do they pay for it?"

Oil!

"And what's the oil of the 21st Century?"

Technology!

"I'm a tech guy, so everything he says makes sense," Cody Watzen of Council Bluffs said. "He's speaking about real issues ... I was more Republican growing up, but I wrote in Bernie in 2016."

Michael Swanson lives outside of Omaha in Nebraska and is a former Republican who didn't vote in 2016. He voted for Mitt Romney in 2012, but said Yang has a lot of problem-solving ideas.

"I think he's interesting," Swanson said of Yang. "As I've matured, I've realized you can't be partisan your whole life. I like his spirit."

Genesis Corral, who works in GIS, said she is tired of the same politicians running for president, except for Bernie Sanders, she said. Corral also likes U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.

"I like Yang's ideas on AI and data," Corral said. "My job won't be automated anytime soon but we integrate AI in what I do."

Swanson, Watzen and Corral all found out about Yang after listening to the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, where Yang was a guest. The only other candidates to sit down with Rogan? Sanders and Gabbard.

Yang said the plan in Iowa is to keep showing up between now and Feb. 3.

"We've hired new staffers and activated more volunteers," he told the Register. "I'm going to be here in the state over and over again between now and February 3. You're going to see us growing and growing and peak right when the voting starts."

He also mentioned, if elected, that he would come back to Iowa to thank Iowans for their support. And what will the first day of a Yang presidency look like?

"The first thing I'll do is meet with legislators both parties and push the dividend forward," Yang said. "Donald Trump has left us with a lot of work to do ... I'm laser-focused on solving the problems of the American people and the most effective way we can do that is by writing the rules to work for us and putting $1,000 into the hands of every American.

"I have a clear vision for the country and as more Iowans find out about it, they get more excited, then we can make this vision work quickly."

Gage Miskimen is a news reporter mostly covering West Des Moines, Waukee, and Clive for the Register. Reach him at gmiskimen@dmreg.com or 515-284-8234.

Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal.﻿