Essential Estrogen

More than 1,500 Iowa women caucus goers have agreed to make public their support of former Sen. John Edwards.

The list of women, which represents all 99 counties and more than 800 precincts, was made public today during a Town Hall event in Des Moines. The campaign also announced a statewide leadership team of 31 business, education, law government and community leaders who will advise Edwards and the campaign on issues of concern to women.

"This is a major sign of support for us," Sen. Edwards said in an exclusive following the event. "To have a women's organization with more than 1,500 caucus goers from every county and more than 800 precincts shows that we're getting traction here. More importantly, it shows that the issues I'm focused on -- from universal health care to ending poverty to raising the minimum wage -- are important to people in Iowa.

"These women are from every corner of this state and every walk of life, but they share a commitment to changing America and setting a new direction for our country."

Members of the leadership team are:

• Roxanne Conlin, Civil Rights Attorney and former Iowa Gubernatorial Nominee, Des Moines
• Laura Foell, Former Sac County Supervisor, Schaller
• Celia Rangel, President Quad City Mexican American Organization, Davenport
• Connie Smith, Teacher, Sioux City
• Georgia Robertson, Boone County Democratic Party Chair, Boone
• Beverly Strayhall, Healthcare Activist, Davenport
• Tena Hinkel, Monona County Recorder, Mapleton
• Lena Avila Robison, Investigator for Iowa Civil Rights Commission, President & Founder of Latinos Unidos of Iowa, Des Moines
• Jeannette Kline, President of Burlington Iowa State Education Association Chapter, Burlington
• Tammy Kesterson, Iowa Democratic Party State Central Committee Member, Marengo
• Joy Lowe, Community Activist, Waterloo
• Patricia Schaefer, Mayor, Morning Sun
• Rosemary Schwartz, Former Benton County Democratic Party Chair, Vinton
• Jan Horton, Webster County Treasurer, Fort Dodge
• Rebecca Cole, Former Hamilton County Supervisor, Jewell
• Jody Ewing, Iowa Democratic Party State Central Committee Member, Onawa
• Janet Adams, Former State Representative, Webster City
• Sally Steffen, Former County Wapello County Supervisor, Ottumwa
• Denise Hocraffer, Wright County Democratic Party Chair, Clarion
• Dori Rammelsberg-Dvorak, Democratic Party Activist, Clutier
• Melva Lewis, Retired Teacher, Former Iowa State Education Association Executive Board Member, Bettendorf
• Anne Travis, Iowa State Education Association Executive Board Member, Sidney
• Ruth Moorberg, Iowa State Education Association Executive Board Member, Esterville
• Pat Steinfort, Community Activist, Mason City
• Joan Amos, Chariton City Council, Chariton
• Peg Dunbar, Former Bremer County Democratic Party Chair, Waverly
• Allison Schultz, President, Clarke College Democrats, Earlville
• Sara Hansen, Iowa State Education Association Executive Board Member, Marshalltown
• Kas Kelly, Muscatine County Supervisor, Muscatine
• Laurie Schipper, Executive Director, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Ankeny
• Kathleen Graves, Emmet County Democratic Party Vice-Chair, Estherville

“John is a thoughtful, compassionate and strong leader who will make it his mission to see that women have the same opportunities as men – from education to health care to employment,” Roxanne Conlin, a member of the leadership team and a former Democratic nominee for Governor, said in a press release. “He will stand up to Republican attacks against a woman’s right to choose. He will end the war in Iraq, start bringing our troops home, and most importantly, bring our nation together to make progress for all Americans.”

During the Town Hall, Sen. Edwards detailed his plan to improve the lives of women at work and at home. In doing so he called for:

• Guaranteeing health care for 95,000 Iowa women who lack insurance.
• Ending poverty – helping the 179,000 Iowa women who now live in poverty. John Edwards has called for an end to poverty within 30 years, with policies rooted in the core American values of work, opportunity and responsibility.
• Supporting strong families by expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act, investing in child care for working moms and increasing long-term care options available to families.
• Raising the minimum wage. In Iowa, women account for 61 percent of minimum wage workers.
• Passing pay equity legislation and providing additional funding for women-owned businesses. Today in Iowa, women earn 75 cents for every dollar earned by men.
• Protecting a woman’s right to choose and codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law.