Jan Bauer’s endorsement is a lift for Montana Gov. Steve Bullock in Iowa, which has been overrun with 2020 candidates since January. | Scott Olson/Getty Images 2020 Elections Bullock wins key Iowa endorsement

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock won’t appear on the debate stage in Miami tonight, but he still notched a high-profile win Wednesday.

In an early state that’s critical to his strategy, longtime Story County Democratic chair Jan Bauer told POLITICO she is backing Bullock for president.


The endorsement from Bauer, one of the most recognizable names in Iowa caucus politics, is considered a coup for Bullock. Story County is home to Ames and Iowa State University.

“Jan is a giant in Iowa politics. She’s loved across the state and known for being a tireless advocate for her candidates,” said Sean Bagniewski, chairman of the Polk County Democrats in Des Moines. “She’s one of the few people whose endorsement is as important as any of Iowa’s elected officials.”

The Montana governor, who entered the race in mid-May, has already won the endorsement of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, one of the most popular Democrats in the state. After failing to qualify for the debate stage, Bullock is spending the day campaigning in Iowa.

“If I tell people I’m endorsing the governor of Montana, people say, ‘What? who?’ It’s like what people said about Obama,” said Bauer, who was among the earliest endorsers of Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential contest when “Obama’s polling was just awful.”

Bullock, who is polling in single digits, is making a huge bet on Iowa. After this trip, Bullock will have held 22 events over 18 counties and visited the state four times since his mid-May announcement. He also made six trips to the state prior to joining the race.

Bauer first met the Montana governor last year and said she was impressed that a red-state governor traveled to Iowa to assist in local midterm elections. She noted that Bullock sets himself apart because of his record as a governor, including his ability to expand Medicaid as a Democrat in a red state.

“Executive experience really makes a difference. It’s one thing to have big ideas and talk about solutions,” she said. “It’s quite another thing to implement those solutions.”

Bauer, who is a Democratic National Committee member, said she also wanted to give Bullock a boost after he was kept off the stage in Miami — a move she said was unfair, arguing that the culling of the field should happen in the Iowa caucuses.

Bauer’s endorsement is a lift for Bullock in the first-in-the-nation presidential caucus state, which has been overrun with 2020 candidates since January.

“She’s a pillar in the party and is willing to work hard for candidates,” said longtime Iowa Democratic strategist Jeff Link. “It’s a big deal for Bullock’s campaign.”

Bauer, who in March retired from her 22-year tenure as Story County chair, is a regular stop for candidates angling to land her backing. She said she’s already met with Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, and Reps. Tulsi Gabbard, Eric Swalwell and Tim Ryan. She also has met South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

“No one understands Iowa Democratic politics quite like Jan Bauer does,” Warren tweeted in May, accompanied by a photo of the Massachusetts senator meeting with her. “I’m grateful we had the opportunity to chat today about this grassroots fight and the work she does to grow this movement!”

No one understands Iowa Democratic politics quite like Jan Bauer does. I’m grateful we had the opportunity to chat today about this grassroots fight and the work she does to grow this movement! pic.twitter.com/IGQQV3d1uH — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 4, 2019

Bauer has met Joe Biden in the past but not this cycle.

“I’m amazed that he hasn’t spent much time here,” Bauer said. Biden, who announced in late April, has visited the state twice since then. In his visit earlier this month, Biden promised to spend more time in the state.

“I think it’s important that you connect with your voters and let people have a chance to have a dialogue with you,” Bauer said. “It’s a missed opportunity on his part to get a feel for what real Americans are thinking.”

Bullock, though, has already put in the time, she said.

“He has this amazing ability to identify with ordinary people. I’ve seen a lot of candidates for president and or looking at the possibility of running for president. They’ve got a pretty good impression of themselves,” Bauer said. “They’re all looking, they’re trawling the room. They’re looking for a bigger fish. When you talk to Gov. Bullock, it’s like he’s talking to the only person in the room.”