Race Tied as Braley Campaigns Across Iowa, Thousands of Volunteers Push Supporters to Vote

Braley surges from 4 points down in last Quinnipiac poll to tied today: 47-47

Braley leads 56-36 among those who have already voted

Des Moines, IA ?The final Quinnipiac poll before Election Day shows what the Braley campaign has been seeing for weeks: This race is very tight but Bruce is surging as voters take their final look at the candidates and are hearing from their friends and neighbors about what is at stake and how important it is to vote for Bruce and his plans to fight for the middle class, not the wealthiest few.

"This race is a dead heat but the energy and enthusiasm is with Bruce as voters make their final decisions and cast their ballots," said Sam Lau, Braley for Iowa spokesman. "We know that the more Iowans who vote, the better Bruce will do?and our superior field operation is reaching out to hundreds of thousands of our supporters in the final days to make sure they understand what is at stake and how important it is for them to vote."

This poll comes as Bruce campaigns across Iowa talking to voters about the issues and thousands of volunteers are reaching out to hundreds of thousands of voters to make sure Bruce's supporters are coming out to the polls in this critical and tight race.

With the exception of a single outlier, every single poll of Iowa voters in the last few days has shown this race to be a dead heat heading into Election Day with clear movement in Bruce's direction. Our campaign's modeling of the electorate shows that Bruce is headed to victory on the strength of his clear and significant lead among early voters, the superior Democratic ground efforts that will drive far greater numbers of supporters to the polls, and his strong and consistent lead among independent voters.

Polls will be open on Tuesday, November 4, from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Find the location of your polling place by visiting the voter website.

Iowa allows for voter registration on Election Day. To register and vote on Election Day, you must go to the correct polling place for your current address with proof of your identity and address. The best way to do this is with your valid Iowa driver's license with your current address printed on it. If you do not have an Iowa driver's license, you may use a photo ID that is current, valid, and contains an expiration date. Get details on Election Day Registration.

We urge you to vote for these HRC-endorsed candidates and to encourage your friends and family members to vote for these candidates.

For United States Senate:
Bruce Braley (D)

For United States House of Representatives:
Pat Murphy (D, IA-1)
Dave Loebsack (D, IA-2)
Staci Appel (D, IA-3)
Jim Mowrer (D, IA-4)

Pledge to support pro-equality candidates - because every vote counts.

We can't wake up on November 5th knowing we could have done more to elect fair-minded politicians. Tell the world you plan to vote for equality on Tuesday. You'll send a message to your friends, family and the world that LGBT civil rights should be a top priority for our elected leaders

Braley to be joined by Sen. Tom Harkin and Sec. Tom Vilsack

Tour to focus on why Bruce is running for U.S. Senate: to create an economy that works for all Iowa families, not just the wealthiest few

Des Moines - TODAY, November 3, 2014, Bruce Braley will continue his two-day On Your Side Tour as Election Day approaches, meeting with Iowans in 6 stops across the state to give Iowans a final reminder about why he's running for Senate: to create an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

Bruce will be joined at various stops on the tour by U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin and Secretary Tom Vilsack. The tour will conclude with a pre-election event in Waterloo at 8 p.m. on Monday.

"This election is about who is on the side of Iowa's working families, and I am thrilled to launch this two-day tour and share with Iowans my dedication to creating an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthiest few," said Bruce Braley.  "The energy and enthusiasm I've seen at the grassroots level has been incredible, and we are going to make sure Iowans know what's at stake in this election and how important it is to get out and vote."
The ad is a positive close describing who Bobby Schilling is and why he hopes to represent the Illinois 17th District in the next Congress.
The full ad can be viewed here.

SCRIPT:

Bobby Schilling: "Millionaires and billionaires? Shipping jobs overseas? That's ridiculous. I grew up in a working poor neighborhood in Rock Island. People are struggling, wages are stagnant, and prices keep going up. It's time for action and accountability with a representative who keeps his promises and has success to show for the people I serve. Working to help the middle class and working poor is my passion and why I'm running for Congress. Let's preserve the American dream for the next generation."
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"We can't afford to have candidates in office who don't support our values. Anderson is on record saying he favors turning Illinois into a right to work state and opposes giving public employees the right to strike- now he says he's changed his mind," -Michael Carrigan-President, Illinois AFL-CIO.

 

SPRINGFIELD- State Senator Mike Jacobs (D-Moline) received the endorsement of the Illinois AFL-CIO in the 2014 General Election.

Jacobs is facing Republican Neil Anderson who has openly supported right to work laws in Illinois.

"We are proud to support Mike Jacobs this November. He has and continues to be a constant advocate for labor issues," said Michael Carrigan, President of Illinois AFL-CIO.

"Right-to-work" laws are designed to bust agreements between labor unions and employers. These laws would devastate our communities, cut wages and force local businesses to close their doors.

"We can't afford to have candidates in office who don't support our values. Anderson is on record saying he favors turning Illinois into a right to work state and opposes giving public employees the right to strike- now he says he's changed his mind," Carrigan said. "We can't afford to wait for the next time Neil Anderson will "change" his mind.

The Illinois AFL-CIO represents 1,500 local unions and nearly one million union women and men in Illinois.

"I'm grateful for the AFL-CIO's support this November and look forward to continuing to work with them for years to come," said Jacobs. "If we want to continue to grow as a state, we need keep working with employers and employees to find a balance to sustain economic development opportunities in our region."

Illinois AFL-CIO: The Illinois AFL-CIO represents nearly 900,000 union members and is the voice of all working families in the state. Our power lies with the many and diverse people we represent in a multitude of workplaces and in our ability to affect change.

The State Federation helps improve the lives of working men and women by promoting the rights of workers to join a union and by making sure their voices are heard at the state capitol.

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Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell discuss Braley's strong record on issues like women's healthcare access, paycheck fairness

Des Moines, IA ­- Today, Washington Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell met with women in Des Moines and Mason City to discuss the extreme positions taken by Senate candidate Joni Ernst. In contrast, the Senators highlighted Bruce Braley's proven record of standing up for middle class women and fighting for affordable, quality healthcare.

"Joni Ernst's positions could have an incredibly harmful impact?not just on women in Iowa?but for women all over the country. If Senator Ernst is elected we're less likely to pursue pay equity and women's access to common forms of contraception could be jeopardized," said Murray.

"We can't go back on healthcare rights for women -- we need to move forward," Cantwell said. " We need a partner in the U.S. Senate that will fight for women's health care and for equal pay for equal work. Bruce Braley is the right candidate who will protect women's rights and support an economic agenda that will move our country forward."

Bruce Braley has been a strong and consistent advocate for a woman's right to make her own healthcare decisions. In stark contrast, Joni Ernst's radical views on women's healthcare include sponsorship of a so-called "personhood" amendment that would have banned many common forms of birth control and outlawed abortions, even in the case of rape or incest. Ernst's position on this amendment was sharply criticized in a recent editorial by the Des Moines Register.

As Washington state's senior Senator, Patty Murray has a proven track record spanning more than two decades of fighting for Washington state families in the United States Senate. Patty has established herself as a tireless and effective leader on education, transportation, budget issues, women, and veterans issues. In addition to being the first female Senator from Washington state, Patty served as the first female Chair of the DSCC, the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and currently is the first female Chair of the Senate Budget Committee.   Patty has been a key leader in protecting women's health in the Senate--from defending Planned Parenthood funding from Republican attacks, to standing up against the Supreme Court's decision in Hobby Lobby, and fighting to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

Senator Maria Cantwell has a record of working to support middle-class families and expand economic opportunities for all Americans. As Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Cantwell has spearheaded legislation to close the gender gap in small business lending and enable more women entrepreneurs to create and grow small businesses. In 2013, Senator Cantwell was a Senate leader in passing a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act with strengthened protections for victims of domestic violence. She has a long record of standing up to attacks on women's health care, including speaking out on the Senate floor to defeat an amendment that would have limited health coverage for birth control.
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In closing ad, Braley emphasizes his ability to "build bridges" and deliver results for Iowa. Contrasts with extremists?from both parties--who prefer gridlock to progress

Ad highlights Braley's endorsements by major papers across Iowa for his work building bridges across party lines and putting Iowa families first

Des Moines, IA -Bruce Braley today released his closing ad of the campaign, "Bridges," on his ability to build bridges in order to deliver results for all of Iowa's families.

Walking on a bridge he helped build as part of a road crew to pay his way through college, Bruce contrasts his philosophy of working with anyone to put Iowa first with those of extremists who prefer gridlock to compromise and progress.

"We need to build bridges and get results. And stop letting the extremists from either party get in the way. I'm Bruce Braley, and I'm running for Senate to make a difference for Iowa," Braley says in the ad.

Watch "Bridges" here:

In a state where just 36 percent of eighth graders are proficient in math and 37 percent are proficient in reading according to national assessments, education deserves more attention. Across the country, more parents are making informed decisions about their child's education, but for Hawkeye State parents without resources, choices can be difficult to come by in a system where a child's education is largely determined by zip code. As Iowans head to the polls this November, it is important they seek out candidates that share their views in putting student results first, regardless of party or politics.

Governor Terry Branstad says that he "believes in parental choice in education," and cites his strong support of providing tax credits for donations to scholarship organizations that cover tuition for low-income students to attend private schools. Currently, tax credit-funded scholarship programs pay tuition for approximately 190,000 students nationwide, a school-choice program participation level that is surpassed only by enrollment in charter schools.

Branstad established an incentive-bonus program for teachers that deliver increased student performance, and advocated for -- but didn't get -- tougher hiring standards for teachers; reforms to ease the firing of bad teachers also were included.

While he supports charter schools and wants to see them grow - impressively advocating for the expansion of charter authorizers from only school districts to include universities, community colleges, and nonprofit organizations - Branstad also wants to subject them to all public employee restrictions, including collective bargaining mandates.

Challenger Jack Hatch's K-12 education policy platform apparently is: "invest in the best teachers, the best school buildings and the best curriculum." Hatch's "specific plan to begin the comeback for education in Iowa" is anything but, as it lacks specifics of how to get there.

While educators and parents are doing inspiring things everyday at the classroom and community level to further student outcomes, reform and innovation in schools go only so far as the laws that govern them. The key to solving the nation's education crisis is electing governors who understand that they have the power to change a system, and holding them accountable to do so. With 36 gubernatorial elections underway in 2014, we should all resolve to make education our top priority when we take to the polls in November.

It's up to Iowa voters to spot the candidate who has a chance of continuing the implementation of state-level reforms that have been gaining traction in Des Moines and have proven successful elsewhere across the nation.

As families increasingly demand positive change at rallies and in their communities, now is the time to demand it at the ballot box.

Kara Kerwin is president of The Center for Education Reform.

Union members turning out the vote to protect important issues

Des Moines - Ken Sagar, President of the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, announced today that their program, which began in August, is well on track to complete over hundreds of volunteer shifts and reached over tens of thousands of voters before election day.

"This election is very important to our members. We are running a great program and our brothers and sisters knocking on doors all over Iowa, are making the difference," said Sagar. "Iowa is a very important state and we are doing everything we can to get our labor endorsed candidates elected."

"Our staff and volunteers are walking neighborhoods and talking to voters one-on-one about our issues," said Charlie Wishman Secretary/Treasurer of the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO. "We care about all Iowa working families and we are working hard to encourage union members to exercise their right to vote. "

Iowa AFL-CIO volunteers across the state say that most people they talk with know how important this election is for Iowa's working families.

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On third day of extended bus tour, Catholic sisters to engage voters in Davenport

Davenport, IA - On Friday, October 31 at 2:30PM, the Nuns on the Bus will hold a press conference and rally before going into Davenport communities to knock on doors and talk to voters about the importance of casting their ballot in next week's election.

Press are invited to join the nuns as they go door to door talking to voters.

The "We the People, We the Voters" bus tour, organized by NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, has already engaged voters at over 75 events in 38 cities along a 5,252-mile route. The tour was recently extended through Election Day to include additional communities in Iowa and Wisconsin. Catholic sisters from each state along the route have joined the tour to hold voter registration drives, visit Catholic social service sites and host town hall meetings to hear the concerns of local communities.

During the 2012 election, Sister Simone and the Nuns on the Bus helped to shift the national political debate as they traveled across the country to connect with the people, lift up the work of Catholic sisters, and be a voice for speak out against the House budget proposal that would decimate programs meant to help people in poverty. The Nuns on the Bus also took subsequent bus trips in support of Medicaid expansion and immigration reform.

WHAT:
Nuns on the Bus "get out the vote" rally followed by door knocking and voter engagement

WHO:
Sister Simone Campbell
Catholic Sisters from across Iowa

WHERE
1706 N. Brady Street #205
Davenport, IA 52803

WHEN:
Friday, October 31 at 2:30 PM

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