Approximately 250 Muscatine- area residents gathered inside the Jefferson Elementary School gymnasium on the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 3 to hear from presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren.
The crowd built slowly and waited patiently as upbeat music filled the room in anticipation of the afternoon’s
main attraction.
Warren, a Democratic presidential frontrunner and senator from Massachusetts, was in Muscatine to hold a town-hall style meeting, one of many campaign stops leading up to the Iowa caucuses that will be held on Feb. 3. Many candidates spend additional time in Iowa due to the “First in the Nation” status of Iowa holding their state caucus earlier than every other state, as it has done since 1972.
Among those in attendance was Muscatine resident Karen Landahl and her two young daughters Linnea, 6, and Norah, 3.
Landahl said she felt it was important for daughters to be exposed to the political process at a young age.
“I don’t know if she will win or not, but if she does, it will be history in the making, and they need to see that,” Landahl said. “I want them to be able to grow up and feel empowered to speak up for themselves, to know that women can run for president if they choose. I don’t know how long they will make it today, but I wanted them to have to chance to see this.”
During her visit, Warren regaled the crowd with stories from throughout her life, and how her experiences have shaped her platform today.
After completing her speech, Warren answered three questions from audience members who were chosen by random drawing prior to the speech, which she followed up with a meet and greet for anyone willing to wait in line. She joked with attendees that there’s always time for selfies.
