Democratic Socialist elected in Iowa

A Newly Elected Democratic Socialist on How to Win in Trump Country

“If we talk to people on issues in a universal way, we are going to get their vote.” That's how Pleasant Hill, Iowa's newest city councilperson, socialist Ross Grooters, says he won his seat, and how he thinks others can run and win, too. Grooters, whose day job is a locomotive engineer for Union Pacific Railroad, is active in Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, a People's Action member organization. His city council campaign reflected many of the issues that he says animate him personally: the struggles working-class families like his own face with stagnant wages and rising health care costs, the anti-immigrant fervor dividing his community and a clean water battle that is pitting Iowa families against powerful corporate agricultural interests.