Biden Closes In On Obama & Hillary in Iowa

Joe Biden has climbed up another rung in the race for Iowa's legislative endorsements with Friday's announcement that Iowa Rep. Mary Gaskill of Ottumwa has thrown support behind his presidential campaign. The endorsement brings Biden's total to 13, two behind Barack Obama's 15, and one behind Hillary's 16. Rounding out the pack are Edwards with 9, Dodd with 3, and Richardson, Kucinich, and Gravel with 0 endorsements to date. 27 Democratic members of the state legislature remain uncommitted.

Gaskill, a key endorsement in south-eastern Iowa, is serving her second term in the House for Iowa's 93rd District and serves on the Environmental Protection Committee, the State Government Committee, the Transportation Committee and as chairwoman of the Local Government Committee. Prior to being elected to the Iowa House, she served 16 years at the Wapello County Auditor. As a legislator she has remained an ally to voting integrity activists, having sponsored legislation that would require random audits of voting machines and paper trails.

"I believe that Sen. Joe Biden has the breadth of experience on foreign policy and record of bipartisan leadership on domestic issues our country so desperately needs," Gaskill said in a prepared statement. "From the Biden exit plan for Iraq to his landmark Violence Against Women Act, Sen. Biden has proven he can build bipartisan consensus on the most important challenges facing our country. He is sincere, authentic and I believe he is the best candidate the democrats have -- and that is why I am supporting him."

Other state legislators who have endorsed Biden for president are Sen. Joe Seng of Davenport, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines, Speaker Pro Tempore Polly Butka of Clinton, Rep. John Whitaker of Hillsboro, Rep. Doris Kelly of Waterloo, Rep. Lisa Heddens of Ames, Rep. Jim Lykam of Davenport, Rep. Mike Reasoner of Creston, Rep. Dick Taylor of Cedar Rapids, Rep. Roger Thomas of Elkader, Rep. McKinley Bailey of Webster City and Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach of Ames.