cnbc--2020-12-31--Often overlooked, Asian American Christian voters could be key in Georgia Senate runoffs

When Helen Ho founded Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta in 2010 , she made faith outreach a central part of the organization 's civic engagement work .
She had grown up attending Korean American churches in South Carolina and Georgia , and she understood the importance of religious communities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders .
`` When I grew up , literally , the church was the only nonprofit my parents gave money to , '' said Ho , former executive director of the nonpartisan advocacy group in Georgia .
In American politics , the most prominent blocs of religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evangelical voters , who have largely been a Republican stronghold , and Black Protestant voters , who primarily align with Democrats .
Religious Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders , or AAPIs , in Georgia and across the country are not a monolith .
Their faiths include Christianity , Islam , Buddhism , Hinduism and other traditions .
Yet amid a Black-White political and religious divide , Asian American Christian communities represent untapped voter networks for political parties .
In Georgia 's Senate runoff races , Democrats have ramped up outreach to AAPI voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter turnout that helped flip the state blue in November .
Incumbent GOP Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler will face off against Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Rev .
Raphael Warnock on Jan. 5 in a runoff election that will decide which party controls the Senate .
Faith has been at the forefront of the runoff races .
Warnock is senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church , where Martin Luther King Jr. preached .
Ossoff discusses his Jewish upbringing on the campaign trail .
Perdue is Methodist and Loeffler is Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christian voters .
But candidates on both sides of the aisle have largely overlooked the role of religion for Asian American voters who could help decide an election expected to come down to razor-thin margins .
Asian American voters overall made up only roughly 3 % of Georgia 's eligible voters in 2019 , but a historic surge in AAPI voters helped propel President-elect Joe Biden to victory in the state , according to Democratic data firm TargetSmart .
A 2012 Pew Research Center study found that a plurality of Asian Americans in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify as Christian .
Among Korean Americans , the proportion of Christians rises to 71 % , and among Filipino Americans , 89 % .
Churches provide community centers and support networks for Asian Americans .
Faith institutions are embedded in the growing AAPI communities in Georgia and especially the metro Atlanta area , said Helen Jin Kim , a professor of religious history at Emory University 's Candler School of Theology who also organizes with local faith leaders and Asian American advocacy groups .
`` These ecclesial communal spaces are really important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they 're often overlooked , '' Kim said .
`` AAPIs are a part of a diverse body of religious communities and it 's important to also be able to connect with those spaces . ''
James Woo , communications manager and Korean outreach leader for Advancing Justice-Atlanta , said that AAPI churches are `` the go-to community space for us to share messages with a larger congregation '' about nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts .
`` Especially for first-generation Asian immigrants and refugees that may not be plugged into 'mainstream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information they get about their society is either through their faith group or through their home language press , '' Ho said .
During the 2018 midterm elections , Ho helped organize an early voting campaign among Atlanta-area Korean American churches inspired by the `` souls to the polls '' tradition of Black churches in the South .
But there has been less outreach to AAPI communities from political groups through a religious appeal .
Unlike other groups of Christian voters , Asian American Christians have not consolidated under either political party , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the University of Maryland and author of `` Immigrants , Evangelicals , and Politics in an Era of Demographic Change . ''
This contrasts with the political affiliations of White evangelical voters and Black Protestant voters .
Leading up to the 2020 presidential election , 78 % of White evangelical registered voters supported GOP President Donald Trump , while 90 % of Black Protestant registered voters backed Democratic President-elect Joe Biden , the Pew Research Center found .
Wong 's research found that AAPI Christian voters are more conservative than Asian Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but are more liberal than their White evangelical counterparts .
Asian American evangelicals often align with the Republican Party on some social issues such as abortion , but align with Democrats on issues such as immigration , health care and race .
Political and social views also vary between different communities , as the Asian American identity includes a wide array of ethnicities , cultures and experiences .
`` For Democrats , there 's in some ways more issue alignment , but there 's not very much mobilization , '' Wong said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of concentrated effort to Asian Americans of any religious background or Asian Americans as a whole amongst the Democrats until pretty recently . ''
The Perdue campaign , the Warnock campaign and the Georgia Democratic Party did not respond to CNBC 's requests for comment about outreach to Asian American Christian communities .
The Loeffler campaign referred CNBC to the Georgia GOP , which provided a press release about its updated Asian Pacific American Advisory Board , but did not provide details about outreach to AAPI Christian communities .
The Ossoff campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faith-based events throughout the year , including targeted outreach to Ismaili communities , visits to mosques , and virtual events and meetings with AAPI faith leaders .
Cam Ashling , Osoff 's AAPI constituency director , `` has made engaging AAPI voters of faith in Georgia a key component of the campaign 's work to mobilize AAPI voters across the state , '' the campaign said .
Ashling hosted a call with Korean American pastors in Augusta and partnered with a coalition called AAPI Christians for Biden , according to the campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned a news conference slated for Dec. 17 with Atlanta-based Korean American pastors to support the Democratic Senate candidates ahead of the runoffs .
According to one of the event organizers , the Ossoff campaign said it could not participate while on a bus tour and expressed interest in doing something in the near future .
The Warnock campaign had been working with the coalition in advance of the planned news conference , the organizer said , but the event fell through the day before .
The Warnock campaign said in an email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Rev .
Byeong Han , a pastor at the Korean Central Presbyterian Church of Atlanta , was one of the speakers scheduled for the news conference .
There are certain restrictions on partisan political activity for churches in order to maintain their tax-exempt status , but these restrictions do n't apply to nonpartisan engagement or religious leaders acting in their personal capacity .
Han said that while some of his fellow pastors in Korean and Asian American ministries may be apprehensive to discuss politics , he feels strongly that civic engagement is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I came to this church , I encourage my congregation to do their voter registration and go to vote , '' Han said .
`` I usually tell my members it 's not about politics .
This is about citizens ' rights and responsibility . ''
Han hopes more Asian American Christian communities will continue to participate in the political process .
`` Asian Americans are very important in this election and beyond , '' Han said .
`` So , let 's step up , not step back . ''

Voters enter a polling station at the Zion Baptist Church on January 5, 2021 in Marietta, Georgia. Sandy Huffaker | AFP | Getty Images
When Helen Ho founded Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta in 2010, she made faith outreach a central part of the organization's civic engagement work. She had grown up attending Korean American churches in South Carolina and Georgia, and she understood the importance of religious communities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. "When I grew up, literally, the church was the only nonprofit my parents gave money to," said Ho, former executive director of the nonpartisan advocacy group in Georgia. In American politics, the most prominent blocs of religious voters have historically been Christians: White evangelical voters, who have largely been a Republican stronghold, and Black Protestant voters, who primarily align with Democrats. Religious Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, or AAPIs, in Georgia and across the country are not a monolith. Their faiths include Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and other traditions. Yet amid a Black-White political and religious divide, Asian American Christian communities represent untapped voter networks for political parties. In Georgia's Senate runoff races, Democrats have ramped up outreach to AAPI voters overall, hoping to reprise the high voter turnout that helped flip the state blue in November. Incumbent GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler will face off against Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock on Jan. 5 in a runoff election that will decide which party controls the Senate. Faith has been at the forefront of the runoff races. Warnock is senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. preached. Ossoff discusses his Jewish upbringing on the campaign trail. Perdue is Methodist and Loeffler is Catholic; the two have appealed to conservative Christian voters. But candidates on both sides of the aisle have largely overlooked the role of religion for Asian American voters who could help decide an election expected to come down to razor-thin margins.
Faith among Asian Americans
Asian American voters overall made up only roughly 3% of Georgia's eligible voters in 2019, but a historic surge in AAPI voters helped propel President-elect Joe Biden to victory in the state, according to Democratic data firm TargetSmart. A 2012 Pew Research Center study found that a plurality of Asian Americans in the U.S., about 42%, identify as Christian. Among Korean Americans, the proportion of Christians rises to 71%, and among Filipino Americans, 89%. Churches provide community centers and support networks for Asian Americans. Faith institutions are embedded in the growing AAPI communities in Georgia and especially the metro Atlanta area, said Helen Jin Kim, a professor of religious history at Emory University's Candler School of Theology who also organizes with local faith leaders and Asian American advocacy groups. "These ecclesial communal spaces are really important when it comes to voting behavior, but they're often overlooked," Kim said. "AAPIs are a part of a diverse body of religious communities and it's important to also be able to connect with those spaces." James Woo, communications manager and Korean outreach leader for Advancing Justice-Atlanta, said that AAPI churches are "the go-to community space for us to share messages with a larger congregation" about nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts. "Especially for first-generation Asian immigrants and refugees that may not be plugged into 'mainstream' or English language press, the information they get about their society is either through their faith group or through their home language press," Ho said.
Political organizing
During the 2018 midterm elections, Ho helped organize an early voting campaign among Atlanta-area Korean American churches inspired by the "souls to the polls" tradition of Black churches in the South. But there has been less outreach to AAPI communities from political groups through a religious appeal.
Ivanka Trump and Senators Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA) wave to the crowd at a campaign event on December 21, 2020 in Milton, Georgia. Elijah Nouvelage | Getty Images
Unlike other groups of Christian voters, Asian American Christians have not consolidated under either political party, said Janelle Wong, a political scientist at the University of Maryland and author of "Immigrants, Evangelicals, and Politics in an Era of Demographic Change." This contrasts with the political affiliations of White evangelical voters and Black Protestant voters. Leading up to the 2020 presidential election, 78% of White evangelical registered voters supported GOP President Donald Trump, while 90% of Black Protestant registered voters backed Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, the Pew Research Center found. Wong's research found that AAPI Christian voters are more conservative than Asian Americans who do not identify as evangelical, but are more liberal than their White evangelical counterparts. Asian American evangelicals often align with the Republican Party on some social issues such as abortion, but align with Democrats on issues such as immigration, health care and race. Political and social views also vary between different communities, as the Asian American identity includes a wide array of ethnicities, cultures and experiences. "For Democrats, there's in some ways more issue alignment, but there's not very much mobilization," Wong said. "There hasn't been the same kind of concentrated effort to Asian Americans of any religious background or Asian Americans as a whole amongst the Democrats until pretty recently."
The Georgia Senate runoffs


cnbc--2020-12-31--Trump and first lady Melania will return to White House, skip New Year’s bash at Mar-a-Lago

U.S. President Donald Trump is pictured inside of his armoured vehicle while departing his Mar-a-Lago resort in West Palm Beach , Florida , U.S. , December 31 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will return to the White House on Thursday , cutting short their lengthy holiday break in Palm Beach and skipping a New Year 's Eve blowout at his Mar-a-Lago resort .
The scheduling notice came days before Congress was set to finalize President-elect Joe Biden 's victory , a virtually inevitable outcome but one that several Republicans are nonetheless planning to delay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first lady are set to leave Florida for Washington at 11 a.m .
ET , the White House said Wednesday night .
The departure was unexpected : News outlets reported that guests attending Mar-a-Lago 's annual New Year 's Eve gala had been told Trump would appear at the event .
CNN , citing a member of the resort , reported Tuesday that at least 500 reservations to the party had been confirmed .
A receptionist at Mar-a-Lago declined to comment on the party .
The White House declined to comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 , Trump has made comments largely focused on the election , which he refuses to concede to Biden despite repeatedly failing in court to have Electoral College votes for the Democrat flipped or invalidated .

U.S. President Donald Trump is pictured inside of his armoured vehicle while departing his Mar-a-Lago resort in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., December 31, 2020.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will return to the White House on Thursday, cutting short their lengthy holiday break in Palm Beach and skipping a New Year's Eve blowout at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
The scheduling notice came days before Congress was set to finalize President-elect Joe Biden's victory, a virtually inevitable outcome but one that several Republicans are nonetheless planning to delay by launching objections.
The president and the first lady are set to leave Florida for Washington at 11 a.m. ET, the White House said Wednesday night.
The departure was unexpected: News outlets reported that guests attending Mar-a-Lago's annual New Year's Eve gala had been told Trump would appear at the event. CNN, citing a member of the resort, reported Tuesday that at least 500 reservations to the party had been confirmed.
A receptionist at Mar-a-Lago declined to comment on the party. The White House declined to comment.
Since arriving in Palm Beach on Dec. 23, Trump has made comments largely focused on the election, which he refuses to concede to Biden despite repeatedly failing in court to have Electoral College votes for the Democrat flipped or invalidated.


cnbc--2020-12-31--Axios' Mike Allen: Some Republicans think Trump is trying to sabotage GOP in Georgia Senate races

Axios co-founder Mike Allen told CNBC on Thursday that some Republicans believe President Donald Trump is hurting the party 's chances in next week 's Georgia Senate runoffs .
`` There 's a big strain of thought among Republicans that President Trump is sabotaging this race .
He 's done so much to be unhelpful to those candidates , '' Allen said on `` Squawk Box , '' referring to GOP Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue .
`` I talk to Republicans and they look at what 's happening , and they say , 'You know , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send a message , If I 'm not on the ballot , Republicans are in trouble , ' '' added Allen , a longtime political reporter in Washington .
Allen 's comments come ahead of Tuesday 's crucial runoff elections , which will determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate .
Loeffler is running against Democrat Raphael Warnock , while Perdue 's opponent is Democrat Jon Ossoff .
Trump campaigned for Loeffler and Perdue earlier this month , and he is set to hold another rally in the state Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the races to maintain a majority in the 100-seat Senate ; the GOP currently holds a 50-48 advantage .
If both Democrats are victorious in Georgia , that would tip the scale in their party 's favor because Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be the tie-breaking vote .
It also would mean Democrats control both chambers of Congress , plus the White House after President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated Jan. 20 .
Biden defeated Trump in the Nov. 3 election , helped in part by his victory in Georgia .
Biden was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 1992 .
`` Keeping a Republican majority in the Senate has been a priority for the President from the beginning , '' Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said in a statement Thursday to CNBC .
`` He will be rallying voters to support Senators Perdue and Loeffler and warning that their opponents are leftist extremists who support higher taxes , the job-crushing Green New Deal , and amnesty for 11 million illegal aliens . ''
Allen , who co-founded Politico before going on to launch Axios in January 2017 , said Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perdue would defeat their Democratic challengers .
`` Georgia , despite the president-elect winning there , is still pretty red , so Republicans said , 'In the end , this could be fine . '
They 're no longer sure it 's fine , and a lot of that has to do with the president , '' Allen said .
Trump has refused to concede the election to Biden and falsely claimed he lost the race to due massive voter fraud .
He also has attacked numerous elected Republicans in Georgia , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling of the election .
Trump also has been pushing Congress to increase stimulus checks to Americans to $ 2,000 , holding up a $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package that contained $ 600 direct payments for days before ultimately signing it .
He has continued his push for $ 2,000 checks , a proposal supported by Democrats that is not popular among Republicans in the Senate .
Ossoff and Warnock quickly seized on Trump 's demand last week and used it to bash their opponents .
Loeffler and Perdue , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2,000 checks .
`` Republicans look at it and they say , like everyday President Trump is saying something that either puts those candidates on the spot or makes some of those ... voters who were maybe queasy about Trump anyway but are Republicans in their bones , like everyday he gives them a reason either not to come out or to decide to go the other way , ' '' Allen said .
CNBC reached out to the campaigns for Loeffler and Perdue , as well as the White House , @ @ @ @ @ @ @

"I talk to Republicans and they look at what's happening, and they say, 'You know, he must be thinking, 'I want to send a message, If I'm not on the ballot, Republicans are in trouble,'" added Allen, a longtime political reporter in Washington.
"There's a big strain of thought among Republicans that President Trump is sabotaging this race. He's done so much to be unhelpful to those candidates," Allen said on "Squawk Box," referring to GOP Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue .
Axios co-founder Mike Allen told CNBC on Thursday that some Republicans believe President Donald Trump is hurting the party's chances in next week's Georgia Senate runoffs .
U.S. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Republican U.S. senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, arrive to attend a campaign rally, in Valdosta, Georgia, U.S., December 5, 2020.
Allen's comments come ahead of Tuesday's crucial runoff elections, which will determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Loeffler is running against Democrat Raphael Warnock, while Perdue's opponent is Democrat Jon Ossoff. Trump campaigned for Loeffler and Perdue earlier this month, and he is set to hold another rally in the state Monday.
Republicans need to win only one of the races to maintain a majority in the 100-seat Senate; the GOP currently holds a 50-48 advantage.
If both Democrats are victorious in Georgia, that would tip the scale in their party's favor because Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be the tie-breaking vote. It also would mean Democrats control both chambers of Congress, plus the White House after President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated Jan. 20. Biden defeated Trump in the Nov. 3 election, helped in part by his victory in Georgia. Biden was the first Democrat to win the state since 1992.
"Keeping a Republican majority in the Senate has been a priority for the President from the beginning," Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said in a statement Thursday to CNBC. "He will be rallying voters to support Senators Perdue and Loeffler and warning that their opponents are leftist extremists who support higher taxes, the job-crushing Green New Deal, and amnesty for 11 million illegal aliens."
Allen, who co-founded Politico before going on to launch Axios in January 2017, said Republicans had initially felt confident that Loeffler and Perdue would defeat their Democratic challengers. "Georgia, despite the president-elect winning there, is still pretty red, so Republicans said, 'In the end, this could be fine.' They're no longer sure it's fine, and a lot of that has to do with the president," Allen said.
Trump has refused to concede the election to Biden and falsely claimed he lost the race to due massive voter fraud. He also has attacked numerous elected Republicans in Georgia, including Gov. Brian Kemp, for their handling of the election.
Trump also has been pushing Congress to increase stimulus checks to Americans to $2,000, holding up a $900 billion coronavirus relief package that contained $600 direct payments for days before ultimately signing it. He has continued his push for $2,000 checks, a proposal supported by Democrats that is not popular among Republicans in the Senate.
Ossoff and Warnock quickly seized on Trump's demand last week and used it to bash their opponents. Loeffler and Perdue, however, have since backed Trump's proposal for $2,000 checks.
"Republicans look at it and they say, like everyday President Trump is saying something that either puts those candidates on the spot or makes some of those ... voters who were maybe queasy about Trump anyway but are Republicans in their bones, like everyday he gives them a reason either not to come out or to decide to go the other way,'" Allen said.
CNBC reached out to the campaigns for Loeffler and Perdue, as well as the White House, for comment on Allen's remarks.


cnbc--2020-01-31--China's deadly coronavirus could be good for US jobs, manufacturing, says Trump Commerce Secretary W

China's deadly coronavirus could be good for US jobs, manufacturing, says Trump Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross

The fast-spreading coronavirus has infected thousands of people in China and raised fears about a global pandemic — and that could have a positive impact on the U.S. economy , Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said Thursday .
Ross said in a Fox Business Network interview that the disease , which Chinese officials say has more than 7,700 confirmed cases and has caused 170 deaths , will lead businesses to reconsider their supply chains .
That could help quicken the pace at which jobs and manufacturing are returning to the U.S. from overseas , he said .
`` I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lap over a very unfortunate , very malignant disease , '' Ross told Fox on Thursday morning .
`` But the fact is , it does give businesses another thing to consider when they go through their review of their supply chain . ''
The coronavirus is `` another risk factor that people need to take into account , '' Ross said .
`` I think it will help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America , '' he said .
`` Some to the U.S. , some to Mexico as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks after Trump signed a `` phase one '' trade deal with China , which defused some tensions between the nations .
`` As Secretary Ross made clear the first step is to bring the virus under control and help the victims of this disease .
It is also important to consider the ramifications of doing business with a country that has a long history of covering up real risks to its own people and the rest of the world , '' a Commerce Department official told CNBC , when asked for further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fortunately , the Department of Commerce is equipped to support the American people and our businesses to do both . ''
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Ross on Thursday added that companies such as Apple have taken steps to make up some of the production lost from their suppliers in China .
Apple CEO Tim Cook said Tuesday that his company has suppliers in Wuhan , the capital of China 's Hubei province and the epicenter of the disease .
`` I think there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it very , very likely [ that there will be ] more reshoring to the U.S. , and some reshoring to Mexico , '' Ross said on Fox .
Meanwhile , President Donald Trump 's trade advisor , Peter Navarro , suggested Wednesday on CNBC 's `` Closing Bell '' that U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports would not be lifted if the deadly coronavirus starts to weigh on China 's economy .
`` That 's a spin that 's coming right out of Wall Street , and it really , I think , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis to bring that into the discussion , '' Navarro said .

The fast-spreading coronavirus has infected thousands of people in China and raised fears about a global pandemic — and that could have a positive impact on the U.S. economy, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said Thursday.
Ross said in a Fox Business Network interview that the disease, which Chinese officials say has more than 7,700 confirmed cases and has caused 170 deaths, will lead businesses to reconsider their supply chains.
That could help quicken the pace at which jobs and manufacturing are returning to the U.S. from overseas, he said.
"I don't want to talk about a victory lap over a very unfortunate, very malignant disease," Ross told Fox on Thursday morning. "But the fact is, it does give businesses another thing to consider when they go through their review of their supply chain."
The coronavirus is "another risk factor that people need to take into account," Ross said. "I think it will help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America," he said. "Some to the U.S., some to Mexico as well."
Ross made the comments weeks after Trump signed a "phase one" trade deal with China, which defused some tensions between the nations.
"As Secretary Ross made clear the first step is to bring the virus under control and help the victims of this disease. It is also important to consider the ramifications of doing business with a country that has a long history of covering up real risks to its own people and the rest of the world," a Commerce Department official told CNBC, when asked for further comment on Ross' remarks. "Fortunately, the Department of Commerce is equipped to support the American people and our businesses to do both."


cnbc--2020-02-03--Iowa caucus: What it is, how it works and why it's important

Signs for a number of different candidates are staked in the lawn outside of a home in Des Moines , Iowa , on January 25 , 2020 .
An unusually crowded field of Democratic presidential contenders has campaigned for months to take on President Donald Trump in November .
But before the hopefuls get there , they will have to win their party 's nomination — and a crucial step to doing so , the Iowa caucus , takes place Monday .
To understand the significance of Iowa , it helps to look ahead .
The Democratic nominating contest will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Convention in Wisconsin .
The nominee named at that convention will be the Democrat who was won a majority of delegates during the caucuses and primaries that are hosted by each state , territory and the District of Columbia through June .
By tradition , the first contest is in Iowa , which gives the small Midwestern state outsized influence in selecting presidents .
The state was crucial , for instance , to former President Barack Obama , whose victory there in the 2008 caucus helped propel him to victory over Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Read more : Iowa 's minor league baseball teams find themselves in the 2020 election fight Nearly all of the major 2020 candidates — including former Vice President Joe Biden , Sens .
Bernie Sanders , Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar , and Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana — have devoted substantial resources and time to winning the state .
The only exception , former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg , entered the race late and is skipping the caucus entirely to focus on the big states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Texas .
Here is what you need to know about the Iowa caucus .

Signs for a number of different candidates are staked in the lawn outside of a home in Des Moines, Iowa, on January 25, 2020. Stephen Maturen | AFP | Getty Images
An unusually crowded field of Democratic presidential contenders has campaigned for months to take on President Donald Trump in November. But before the hopefuls get there, they will have to win their party's nomination — and a crucial step to doing so, the Iowa caucus, takes place Monday. To understand the significance of Iowa, it helps to look ahead. The Democratic nominating contest will end in July at the Democratic National Convention in Wisconsin. The nominee named at that convention will be the Democrat who was won a majority of delegates during the caucuses and primaries that are hosted by each state, territory and the District of Columbia through June. By tradition, the first contest is in Iowa, which gives the small Midwestern state outsized influence in selecting presidents. The state was crucial, for instance, to former President Barack Obama, whose victory there in the 2008 caucus helped propel him to victory over Hillary Clinton, his future secretary of State. Read more: Iowa's minor league baseball teams find themselves in the 2020 election fight Nearly all of the major 2020 candidates — including former Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, and Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana — have devoted substantial resources and time to winning the state.
The only exception, former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, entered the race late and is skipping the caucus entirely to focus on the big states that vote later, such as California and Texas. Here is what you need to know about the Iowa caucus.
When is the Iowa caucus?
Caucus locations open no later than 6:30 p.m. CST. In order to participate, caucus voters will have to be in line by 7 p.m. CST. The results of the Iowa caucus are expected to be released throughout the evening. Sometimes, the winner of the caucus is not known until the next day. The results will be available on CNBC.com and CNBC's social media feeds.
What is the Iowa caucus? How does it work?
Caucuses are like neighborhood party gatherings. They are held in schools, community buildings and churches around the state, and begin with messages from state and local party officials. Instead of voting for a candidate using a secret ballot, caucuses involve physically moving to a designated part of a room along with others who support the same contender. Because it all happens in the open, Iowans are able to try to persuade others to switch their support. Iowa has 1,678 precinct caucuses plus nearly 100 "satellite" caucuses for Iowans scattered around the country, along with some taking place internationally. The voting process takes place in two phases. The first phase: Caucus participants may pick any candidate. The number of supporters each candidate has is then tallied up by state party officials as well as by representatives of each of the campaigns.
Caucus participants may pick any candidate. The number of supporters each candidate has is then tallied up by state party officials as well as by representatives of each of the campaigns. The second phase: The number of candidates is whittled down. Presidential candidates who received less than 15% are considered nonviable. That means their supporters have two main options: pick a viable candidate to support or persuade enough supporters of other nonviable contenders to join their side to meet the 15% threshold. After the second phase is done, support for each candidate is tallied again. The number of delegates each candidate receives is ultimately based on the number of supporters each candidate has once the nonviable contenders are eliminated. This is what one caucus in 2016 looked like in a rural part of the state:
A child looks on as Democratic party voters sit in the living room of a private residence during the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucus in rural Deep River, Iowa, U.S., on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Why is the Iowa caucus so important?


cnbc--2020-02-03--If Bernie Sanders wins Iowa Monday and gains momentum, that would spook the stock market

Iowa 's Democratic presidential caucus Monday is a step toward narrowing the far-flung field of Democratic candidates , and investors could start getting worried if polls prove correct and Bernie Sanders emerges as the winner .
Iowa is just the first ballot , but a win by the Vermont senator could give him more momentum , and that certainly could get the market 's attention .
Analysts do not expect a sell-off just based on an Iowa win for Sanders , but if he begins to look like the nominee in more races , volatility could increase .
New Hampshire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Sanders won there in 2016 .
`` I think the market really has run up for a lot of reasons , but they clearly have been pricing in a Trump re-election , '' said Lori Calvasina , chief U.S.equity strategist at RBC .
`` The betting markets are sending a positive signal on Sanders right now .
The big sort of shift in trend is Bernie . ''
Still , strategists say the left-leaning candidate would have a hard time beating President Donald Trump if he were the party nominee , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level of risk that he could .
Sanders is viewed as negative for the stock market , and he is in favor of significantly raising taxes on individuals and companies .
Sanders had once been seen as a long shot , but he is now leading former Vice President Joseph Biden in Iowa polls by an average 24.2 % to 20.2 % , according to RealClearPolitics.com .
Sanders is also leading Biden by a wider average 9.5 percentage points in polls in his neighboring state of New Hampshire .
`` Anybody who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 've all gone on '' to be the nominee , said Daniel Clifton , head of policy research at Strategas .
Biden is leading in the third and fourth states scheduled to hold votes .
He leads by 5.7 percentage points on average in Nevada polls ahead of its Democratic presidential caucus Feb. 22 , and is ahead in the Feb. 29 vote in South Carolina , where RealClearPolitics.com puts him up by an average 17 percentage points .
A much anticipated final poll by the Des Moines Register was not released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential error .
`` Iowa has picked the last four Democratic nominees .
The early states , which are often disregarded as not important , create momentum for winners and really start to hurt the losers , '' Clifton said .
This year , there is an early `` Super Tuesday '' of primaries on March 3 in more than a dozen states , including Texas , North Carolina and California , a key state where Sanders now has a large lead .
Those states hold 42 % of the delegates , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide important early momentum for candidates .
He said the next pre-caucus poll on Saturday by the Des Moines Register will be important .
`` This is why the volatility is around February , and not March .
Super Tuesday has many investors making that bet , '' he said .
`` They 're betting on March .
You want to make your bet around February because there 's a lack of realization that Bernie could win the nomination , and he 's going to get a fresh bout of momentum if he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been trading in weekly options betting that the market this week would see elevated volatility in the S & P 500 around the caucuses .
There 's also been a trade around Super Tuesday March 3 , but the scare over the rapidly spreading coronavirus has brought its own hedging .
`` There was a volatility premium built into next Wednesday .
People would much rather buy options that incorporate the election-related events .
Weekly options go out three months .
March 6 options were listed about a month ago .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Patrick Kernan , CEO of Cardinal Capital , which trades S & P options .
`` Those options were significantly more expensive , puts and calls , relative to the options that expired right before it at the end of February . ''
Health care stocks have also been hit in part because of the potential rise of Sanders .
Calvasina said normally with a health scare , those stocks should be doing well , but they have been trading lower , particularly managed care .
The S & P health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst performers , down 3.6 % .
`` That 's been his signature issue …I think people really identify him with the health care policy , '' said Calvasina .
`` There 's no virus-related reason that healthcare stocks should be down this week , these large cap , policy sensitive names . ''
Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren are the most progressive and both favor `` Medicare for All . ''
Both also would ban fracking , or the shale drilling that has taken the U.S. from a major importer of oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the world .
`` Their policies are clearly not pro-market .
Regardless of what the odds might be in the general election , they have a puncher 's chance , '' said QMA chief market strategist Ed Keon .
Biden wants to preserve and expand upon Obamacare , with a private insurance option .
He has also supported fracking , which is important to voters in key states such as Pennsylvania and Texas .
The coronavirus has dominated this past week 's trading , and bond strategists say the sharp decline in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears the virus will slow the world economy .
But they also say investors could get increasingly nervous about the Democratic primaries and there are some investors using bonds as a safety play against election-related volatility .
`` It 's a reason not to push rates higher .
It 's a reason you 're willing to be neutral , '' said Jon Hill , BMO senior rate strategist .
In the Iowa polls , Warren is fourth with 15.6 % , behind former South Bend , Ind .
Mayor Pete Buttigieg , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is averaging 8.6 % in Iowa 's polls .
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is not in the early state races , and only shows up in time for Super Tuesday .
Some strategists see Bloomberg siphoning off Biden supporters , helping Sanders , and he could become more high profile nationally after his big Superbowl ad buy this Sunday .
`` Bloomberg has set up for Bernie winning and Biden crashing .
If that scenario takes place , then it would be him and Bernie Sanders one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the states .
It 's never been done .
It would n't be easy .
He 's getting 7 % of the vote right now , '' Clifton said .
`` But he 's the only one increasing in the polls . ''
Cornerstone Macro 's Andy Laperriere said even though Sanders looks to be in the lead in Iowa , the situation is fluid and it 's hard to tell what the outcome will be .
`` What looks like is happening is the progressive vote is coalescing around Sanders and feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good a chance as anybody else , '' said Laperriere , who heads U.S. policy at Cornerstone .
Laperriere said an analysis on FiveThirtyEight Politics shows a win in Iowa could give a big boost to either candidate but would push Biden closer to being the nominee .
The analysis shows Biden doubling his odds to 80 % , while the odds for Sanders would get a boost to 61 % on an Iowa win .
`` I think investor perceptions will do something similar to that .
The market will be shifting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the Democratic nominee , '' Laperriere said .
`` Sanders is much more of a risk to the market , but on the other hand , the perception is the odds of him beating Trump are low .
Biden is less of a risk for the market , but the odds of him beating Trump are higher . ''
Tom Block , Washington analyst at Fundstrat , said Iowa could determine which of party 's progressive candidates will be left standing .
`` It appears Sanders is gaining momentum , and Elizabeth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa can be the defining moment for the race within the race , '' he said .
`` If Joe Biden gets wiped out in Iowa that would be a negative for him , but if he 's competitive and they all bunch together , I think he can survive for another day . ''
Block said Bloomberg only comes in to the race seriously if Biden falters .
Markets see the billionaire Bloomberg as much more market-friendly than Sanders or Warren .
`` The landscape has significantly changed .
You never before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has California , Texas and North Carolina .
History is changing with this year 's primary schedule , '' Block said .
`` I think the biggest outcome of these early first primaries is going to be deciding whether Bernie has captured the progressive vote , and what is Elizabeth Warren 's argument for staying in the race . ''
Investors may find Sanders ' tax proposals less appealing than those of Warren .
According to Cornerstone Macro 's analysis , Sanders would push the highest individual tax rate to 52 % while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , from the current 37 % .
Under Sanders ' plan , the highest marginal tax rate would be 69.2 % , compared with Warren 's 53.5 % .

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders speaks to supporters and volunteers at a campaign field office in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, February 2, 2020. Mike Segar | Reuters
Iowa's Democratic presidential caucuses Monday are a step toward narrowing the far-flung field of candidates, and investors could start getting worried if polls prove correct and Bernie Sanders emerges as the winner. Iowa is just the first ballot, but a win by the Vermont senator could give him more momentum, and that certainly could get the market's attention. Analysts do not expect a sell-off just based on an Iowa win for Sanders, but if he begins to look like the nominee in more races, volatility could increase. New Hampshire's primary is the following week, and Sanders won there in 2016. "I think the market really has run up for a lot of reasons, but they clearly have been pricing in a Trump re-election," said Lori Calvasina, chief U.S.equity strategist at RBC. "The betting markets are sending a positive signal on Sanders right now. The big sort of shift in trend is Bernie." Still, strategists say the left-leaning candidate would have a hard time beating President Donald Trump if he were the party nominee, but the fear is there's now some level of risk that he could. Sanders is viewed as negative for the stock market, and he is in favor of significantly raising taxes on individuals and companies.
Long shot no more
Sanders had once been seen as a long shot, but he is now leading former Vice President Joseph Biden in Iowa polls by an average 24.2% to 20.2%, according to RealClearPolitics.com. Sanders is also leading Biden by a wider average 9.5 percentage points in polls in his neighboring state of New Hampshire. "Anybody who has won two of the first three, they've all gone on" to be the nominee, said Daniel Clifton, head of policy research at Strategas. Read more: Voters largely favor capitalism over socialism amid Sanders' rise Biden is leading in the third and fourth states scheduled to hold votes. He leads by 5.7 percentage points on average in Nevada polls ahead of its Democratic presidential caucuses Feb. 22, and is ahead in the Feb. 29 vote in South Carolina, where RealClearPolitics.com puts him up by an average 17 percentage points. A much anticipated final poll by the Des Moines Register in Iowa was not released over the weekend, due to a potential error. "Iowa has picked the last four Democratic nominees. The early states, which are often disregarded as not important, create momentum for winners and really start to hurt the losers," Clifton said.
watch now
This year, there is an early "Super Tuesday" of primaries on March 3 in more than a dozen states, including Texas, North Carolina and California, a key state where Sanders now has a large lead. Those states hold 42% of the delegates, but Clifton said Iowa can be pivotal and provide important early momentum for candidates. He said the next pre-caucus poll on Saturday by the Des Moines Register will be important. "This is why the volatility is around February, and not March. Super Tuesday has many investors making that bet," he said. "They're betting on March. You want to make your bet around February because there's a lack of realization that Bernie could win the nomination, and he's going to get a fresh bout of momentum if he wins those first states."
Super Tuesday options
There has been trading in weekly options betting that the market this week would see elevated volatility in the S&P 500 around the caucuses. There's also been a trade around Super Tuesday March 3, but the scare over the rapidly spreading coronavirus has brought its own hedging. "There was a volatility premium built into next Wednesday. People would much rather buy options that incorporate the election-related events. Weekly options go out three months. March 6 options were listed about a month ago. That has Super Tuesday in it," said Patrick Kernan, CEO of Cardinal Capital, which trades S&P options. "Those options were significantly more expensive, puts and calls, relative to the options that expired right before it at the end of February." Health-care stocks have also been hit in part because of the potential rise of Sanders. Calvasina said normally with a health scare, those stocks should be doing well, but they have been trading lower, particularly managed care. The S&P health-care sector was one of last week's worst performers, down 3.3%. "That's been his signature issue … I think people really identify him with the health-care policy," said Calvasina. "There's no virus-related reason that health-care stocks should be down this week, these large-cap, policy sensitive names." Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren are the most progressive and both favor "Medicare for All." Both also would ban fracking, or the shale drilling that has taken the U.S. from a major importer of oil to an exporter and the biggest producer in the world.
watch now
"Their policies are clearly not pro-market. Regardless of what the odds might be in the general election, they have a puncher's chance," said Ed Keon, chief market strategist at QMA. Biden wants to preserve and expand upon Obamacare, with a private insurance option. He has also supported fracking, which is important to voters in key states such as Pennsylvania and Texas. The coronavirus has dominated this past week's trading, and bond strategists say the sharp decline in yields has been the direct result of fears the virus will slow the world economy. But they also say investors could get increasingly nervous about the Democratic primaries and there are some investors using bonds as a safety play against election-related volatility. "It's a reason not to push rates higher. It's a reason you're willing to be neutral," said Jon Hill, BMO senior rate strategist.
The Bloomberg factor
In the Iowa polls, Warren is fourth with 15.6%, behind former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, at 16.4%, according to RealClearPolitics.com. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is averaging 8.6% in Iowa's polls. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is not in the early state races, and only shows up in time for Super Tuesday. Some strategists see Bloomberg siphoning off Biden supporters, helping Sanders, and he could become more high-profile nationally after his big Superbowl ad buy Sunday. "Bloomberg has set up for Bernie winning and Biden crashing. If that scenario takes place, then it would be him and Bernie Sanders one on one in the back end of the states. It's never been done. It wouldn't be easy. He's getting 7% of the vote right now," Clifton said. "But he's the only one increasing in the polls." Cornerstone Macro's Andy Laperriere said even though Sanders looks to be in the lead in Iowa, the situation is fluid and it's hard to tell what the outcome will be. "What looks like is happening is the progressive vote is coalescing around Sanders and feeling like he's got at least as good a chance as anybody else," said Laperriere, who heads U.S. policy at Cornerstone. Laperriere said an analysis on FiveThirtyEight politics shows a win in Iowa could give a big boost to either candidate but would push Biden closer to being the nominee. The analysis shows Biden doubling his odds to 80%, while the odds for Sanders would get a boost to 61% on an Iowa win.
watch now
"I think investor perceptions will do something similar to that. The market will be shifting its odds pretty dramatically about who will be the Democratic nominee," Laperriere said. "Sanders is much more of a risk to the market, but on the other hand, the perception is the odds of him beating Trump are low. Biden is less of a risk for the market, but the odds of him beating Trump are higher." Tom Block, Washington analyst at Fundstrat, said Iowa could determine which of party's progressive candidates will be left standing. "It appears Sanders is gaining momentum, and Elizabeth Warren is losing momentum. I think Iowa can be the defining moment for the race within the race," he said. "If Joe Biden gets wiped out in Iowa that would be a negative for him, but if he's competitive and they all bunch together, I think he can survive for another day." Block said Bloomberg only comes into the race seriously if Biden falters. Markets see the billionaire Bloomberg as much more market-friendly than Sanders or Warren. "The landscape has significantly changed. You never before had a Super Tuesday like this that has California, Texas and North Carolina. History is changing with this year's primary schedule," Block said. "I think the biggest outcome of these early first primaries is going to be deciding whether Bernie has captured the progressive vote, and what is Elizabeth Warren's argument for staying in the race." Investors may find Sanders' tax proposals less appealing than those of Warren. According to Cornerstone Macro's analysis, Sanders would push the highest individual tax rate to 52% while other Democrats would raise it to 39.6%, from the current 37%. Under Sanders' plan, the highest marginal tax rate would be 69.2%, compared with Warren's 53.5%.


cnbc--2020-02-02--Revolution or return to decency? 2020 Democrats' final Iowa arguments show their case against Trump

At least four Democrats have a good chance to leave Monday 's first-in-the-nation Iowa presidential caucuses with the most delegates .
The 2020 White House hopefuls have deployed vastly different messages as they claw for support at the top of the field in Iowa .
Most of their appeals relate — in one way or another — to their ability to deny President Donald Trump a second term in November .
Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , former Vice President Joe Biden , Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, and former South Bend , Ind .
Mayor Pete Buttigieg have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for months .
Recent polls show a tight race , and the fluid nature of the caucuses suggest any of the leading candidates could enjoy a surprisingly strong showing in the first nominating contest .
Democrats have criss-crossed Iowa in recent days in the final rush before the caucuses .
Sanders and Warren have promised more substantive change in their bids to beat Trump , while Biden and Buttigieg have largely pushed for a return to normalcy or an end to partisan gridlock .
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling averages , has not tried to compete in the first four nominating states , instead turning his attention and vast spending to the larger states that voter later on .
The four candidates ' closing arguments in Iowa reflect their broader motivations for running and why they think they 're best suited to defeat Trump .
Sanders ' case for his ability to defeat Trump has stayed consistent : he promises to rein in what he calls abuses of workers and consumers by corporations and the wealthy , and enact a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health insurance for every American .
He has added wrinkles to his argument in the final days before Iowa .
Expanding the social safety net factors heavily into the Vermont senator 's messaging and appeal .
However , he has more explicitly framed himself as the best candidate to protect Social Security and Medicare benefits — in the Democratic field or the general election .
A Sanders ad that started airing in Iowa on Thursday highlights Trump 's recent comments to CNBC suggesting he could consider reforming unspecified entitlements `` at some point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social programs like Social Security , Medicare and Medicaid .
`` We are not going to cut the programs that millions of seniors and people with disabilities depend upon .
If they vote to cut Social Security , they may well not be returning to Washington , '' Sanders says in the ad .
He has also repeatedly targeted Biden for past comments suggesting he would consider freezing Social Security spending .
The former vice president denies he wants to do that .
The Sanders campaign also released a digital ad Friday featuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ function has deteriorated because he could not afford medications for a hereditary condition .
`` My lungs may be failing , but I 'm going to fight for Bernie with every breath I have left , '' Jim Williams says in the ad .
Sanders ' message also took on stronger foreign policy tones in January after the U.S. killing of Iran 's top general , Qasem Soleimani , increased fears of war with Iran .
He repeatedly highlighted his 2002 vote against authorizing military force in Iraq , which he calls `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the modern history of this country . ''
Sanders has led most recent polls of Iowa , though the surveys suggest at least four candidates have a chance to end up with the most delegates .
Biden has spent the final stretch in Iowa arguing he is best suited to beat Trump and restore a fundamental decency and stability to the White House .
The former vice president has more frequently cast himself as a steady foreign policy hand in recent weeks as the specter of war with Iran rose .
His message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has revolved around his ability to beat Trump .
Biden 's campaign has repeatedly pointed to polls showing him beating Trump in hypothetical head-to-head matchups in November .
In a Thursday speech designed to contrast his character from Trump 's , the former vice president highlighted what he called his role in lifting swing-district Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterms .
`` I took on Trump all over the country — and beat him .
In fact , we beat him like a drum — and in the process took back the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember that this year , '' Biden said in Waukee , Iowa .
Biden issued a refrain during the speech that he has repeated throughout his campaign : `` Character is on the ballot . ''
He said two Trump terms in the White House would `` fundamentally alter the character of this nation . ''
Biden also took aim at Trump 's foreign policy , saying the world will `` sleep a little easier '' with him in the White House because `` they 'll no longer have to worry about Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the night and starting a war with a tweet . ''
The former vice president , who frequently touts his middle class roots in Scranton , Pa. , has not forgotten to add some economic appeal to his final argument .
During a speech in Marshalltown , Iowa , last Sunday , he said that `` we need a president that also understands that this country was n't built by bankers and CEOs . ''
Though he took care to stress — as he sometimes does in separating himself from Sanders — that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` They did n't build the country .
Ordinary people like my mom and dad and my grandmom and grandpop , people in this neighborhood , people in this room , ordinary people given half a chance , '' he said .
Biden has consistently led the 2020 Democratic field in averages of national polls since he entered the race in April , but Sanders has recently cut into his edge .
Sanders leapfrogged him in Iowa polling averages , though surveys suggest Biden still has a good chance to leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters at Biden 's Marshalltown event said the increased tensions with Iran made them lean more toward supporting him in the caucuses .
Buttigieg has placed high stakes on a strong showing in Iowa , and in the final days before the caucus he has focused on `` turning the page '' on Trump 's presidency and winning over `` future former Republicans '' into his coalition .
The 38-year-old Democrat has placed an emphasis on his roots in the Midwest — and the literal and metaphorical distance between South Bend and Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented challenges , we need a president whose vision was shaped by the American Heartland rather than the ineffective Washington politics we 've come to know and expect , '' Buttigieg wrote in a post on Twitter on Wednesday .
During an interview with Radio Iowa last the week , he emphasized the point , arguing that `` the best way to govern is also the best way to win which is to turn the page , to not get caught up in the political warfare and Washington mentality that led us to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot to prove in Iowa , where it has devoted substantial resources .
Buttigieg , who is polling in third in the state , has suggested that a strong showing could help him prove himself to voters who remain skeptical of what was once an extraordinarily longshot bid for the presidency , including many voters of color .
`` We need to do very well in Iowa , '' he told NBC News on Saturday .
`` We 're in it to win it . ''
In the final days of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up his attacks on Sanders and Biden .
During a speech in the state , Buttigieg criticized Sanders for being too far to the left and for `` a kind of politics that says you 've got to go all the way here and nothing else counts . ''
And he chided Biden for `` saying that this is no time to take a risk on someone new . ''
`` History has shown us that the biggest risk we could take with a very important election coming up is to look to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same arguments and expect that to work against a president like Donald Trump who is new in kind , '' Buttigieg said .
Warren 's closing argument to Iowa caucusgoers is that `` women win '' — and that she is the woman who will do so in 2020 .
At town halls and campaign events around Iowa , Warren increasingly sounded the `` women win '' theme during the final days before the caucus .
Warren had long built her campaign around the theme of successful women-led movements , but leaned into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over whether or not a woman could defeat President Donald Trump that erupted during the January debate .
`` Look , people are asking the question .
So if they are asking the question , the right thing to do is let 's just address it head on , '' Warren explained last week during an appearance on MSNBC 's `` All In With Chris Hayes . ''
An Iowa ad the campaign unveiled on Friday features a man who said he voted for Trump in 2016 and now supports Warren .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And I believe Elizabeth is that woman , '' the man says in the ad .
True to form , Warren also approached the looming caucus with a slate of new plans .
On Tuesday , amid an escalating outbreak of the new coronavirus , Warren released a plan to prevent and contain infectious diseases .
On Wednesday , she outlined the steps she would take to curb election misinformation online .
Warren is entering the caucus bolstered by a ringing endorsement from the state 's largest newspaper , the Des Moines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state polls .
Primary polls are notoriously less predictive than general election polls , however .
Warren polled in first place in Iowa for a period in October before slipping into fourth , behind Buttigieg , Biden and Sanders .
Like Sanders , Warren was prevented from campaigning in Iowa for much of last week because of the impeachment trial in Washington .

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at an event in Marshalltown, Iowa on Jan. 26, 2020 ahead of the Iowa caucuses. Jacob Pramuk | CNBC
At least four Democrats have a good chance to leave Monday's first-in-the-nation Iowa presidential caucuses with the most delegates. The 2020 White House hopefuls have deployed vastly different messages as they claw for support at the top of the field in Iowa. Most of their appeals relate — in one way or another — to their ability to deny President Donald Trump a second term in November. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg have led the pack in the Hawkeye State for months. Recent polls show a tight race, and the fluid nature of the caucuses suggest any of the leading candidates could enjoy a surprisingly strong showing in the first nominating contest. Read more: Iowa caucus: What it is, how it works and why it's important Democrats have criss-crossed Iowa in recent days in the final rush before the caucuses. Sanders and Warren have promised more substantive change in their bids to beat Trump, while Biden and Buttigieg have largely pushed for a return to normalcy or an end to partisan gridlock. Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who has edged ahead of Buttigieg in national polling averages, has not tried to compete in the first four nominating states, instead turning his attention and vast spending to the larger states that voter later on. The four candidates' closing arguments in Iowa reflect their broader motivations for running and why they think they're best suited to defeat Trump.
Bernie Sanders
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) holds a campaign event at La Poste January 26, 2020 in Perry, Iowa. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
Sanders' case for his ability to defeat Trump has stayed consistent: he promises to rein in what he calls abuses of workers and consumers by corporations and the wealthy, and enact a "Medicare for All" system to provide health insurance for every American. He has added wrinkles to his argument in the final days before Iowa. Expanding the social safety net factors heavily into the Vermont senator's messaging and appeal. However, he has more explicitly framed himself as the best candidate to protect Social Security and Medicare benefits — in the Democratic field or the general election. A Sanders ad that started airing in Iowa on Thursday highlights Trump's recent comments to CNBC suggesting he could consider reforming unspecified entitlements "at some point." The term generally refers to social programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. "We are not going to cut the programs that millions of seniors and people with disabilities depend upon. If they vote to cut Social Security, they may well not be returning to Washington," Sanders says in the ad. He has also repeatedly targeted Biden for past comments suggesting he would consider freezing Social Security spending. The former vice president denies he wants to do that. The Sanders campaign also released a digital ad Friday featuring an Iowa man who says his lung function has deteriorated because he could not afford medications for a hereditary condition. "My lungs may be failing, but I'm going to fight for Bernie with every breath I have left," Jim Williams says in the ad. Sanders' message also took on stronger foreign policy tones in January after the U.S. killing of Iran's top general, Qasem Soleimani, increased fears of war with Iran. He repeatedly highlighted his 2002 vote against authorizing military force in Iraq, which he calls "the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in the modern history of this country." Sanders has led most recent polls of Iowa, though the surveys suggest at least four candidates have a chance to end up with the most delegates.
Joe Biden
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign town hall event at the Iowa Memorial Union Ballroom at the University of Iowa January 27, 2020 in Iowa City, Iowa. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
Biden has spent the final stretch in Iowa arguing he is best suited to beat Trump and restore a fundamental decency and stability to the White House. The former vice president has more frequently cast himself as a steady foreign policy hand in recent weeks as the specter of war with Iran rose. His message to Iowa voters, at its core, has revolved around his ability to beat Trump. Biden's campaign has repeatedly pointed to polls showing him beating Trump in hypothetical head-to-head matchups in November. In a Thursday speech designed to contrast his character from Trump's, the former vice president highlighted what he called his role in lifting swing-district Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterms. "I took on Trump all over the country — and beat him. In fact, we beat him like a drum — and in the process took back the majority in the House. We should remember that this year," Biden said in Waukee, Iowa. Biden issued a refrain during the speech that he has repeated throughout his campaign: "Character is on the ballot." He said two Trump terms in the White House would "fundamentally alter the character of this nation." Biden also took aim at Trump's foreign policy, saying the world will "sleep a little easier" with him in the White House because "they'll no longer have to worry about Donald Trump waking up in the middle of the night and starting a war with a tweet." The former vice president, who frequently touts his middle class roots in Scranton, Pa., has not forgotten to add some economic appeal to his final argument. During a speech in Marshalltown, Iowa, last Sunday, he said that "we need a president that also understands that this country wasn't built by bankers and CEOs." Though he took care to stress — as he sometimes does in separating himself from Sanders — that "they're not all bad guys." "They didn't build the country. Ordinary people like my mom and dad and my grandmom and grandpop, people in this neighborhood, people in this room, ordinary people given half a chance," he said. Biden has consistently led the 2020 Democratic field in averages of national polls since he entered the race in April, but Sanders has recently cut into his edge. Sanders leapfrogged him in Iowa polling averages, though surveys suggest Biden still has a good chance to leave Iowa with the most delegates. Multiple voters at Biden's Marshalltown event said the increased tensions with Iran made them lean more toward supporting him in the caucuses.
Pete Buttigieg
Democratic presidential candidate former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg speaks at a meet the candidate event at the Chickasaw Event Center January 29, 2020 in New HMapton, Iowa. Win McNamee | Getty Images
Buttigieg has placed high stakes on a strong showing in Iowa, and in the final days before the caucus he has focused on "turning the page" on Trump's presidency and winning over "future former Republicans" into his coalition. The 38-year-old Democrat has placed an emphasis on his roots in the Midwest — and the literal and metaphorical distance between South Bend and Washington, D.C. "In the face of unprecedented challenges, we need a president whose vision was shaped by the American Heartland rather than the ineffective Washington politics we've come to know and expect," Buttigieg wrote in a post on Twitter on Wednesday. During an interview with Radio Iowa last the week, he emphasized the point, arguing that "the best way to govern is also the best way to win which is to turn the page, to not get caught up in the political warfare and Washington mentality that led us to this point." The campaign has a lot to prove in Iowa, where it has devoted substantial resources. Buttigieg, who is polling in third in the state, has suggested that a strong showing could help him prove himself to voters who remain skeptical of what was once an extraordinarily longshot bid for the presidency, including many voters of color. "We need to do very well in Iowa," he told NBC News on Saturday. "We're in it to win it." In the final days of the race before Iowa, Buttigieg also stepped up his attacks on Sanders and Biden. During a speech in the state, Buttigieg criticized Sanders for being too far to the left and for "a kind of politics that says you've got to go all the way here and nothing else counts." And he chided Biden for "saying that this is no time to take a risk on someone new." "History has shown us that the biggest risk we could take with a very important election coming up is to look to the same Washington playbook and recycle the same arguments and expect that to work against a president like Donald Trump who is new in kind," Buttigieg said.
Elizabeth Warren
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts and 2020 presidential candidate, waves during a campaign event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S., on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images


cnbc--2020-02-02--US is split on Trump's removal from office, while top Dems lead him in 2020 race, NBC/WSJ poll finds

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One as he departs Washington for travel to Michigan at Joint Base Andrews , Maryland , January 30 , 2020 .
Voters are roughly split on whether the Senate should remove President Donald Trump from the White House ahead of a historic vote slated for this week , according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday .
The survey found 46 % of registered voters say the chamber should vote to remove the president from office , while 49 % think it should not do so .
Even so , 52 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by asking a foreign government to investigate a political opponent , and 53 % say he obstructed Congress by not cooperating with the impeachment investigation .
Those are the two charges the House leveled against the president in the articles of impeachment it passed in December .
The poll also found 39 % of voters think the Senate has enough information to make its decision , while 37 % say it needs to collect more information .
Another 22 % responded that they do not know enough to say .
The GOP-held chamber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 51-49 vote .
The poll , conducted Jan. 26-29 , comes only a few days before the Senate is expected to acquit Trump on Wednesday .
The trial started about two weeks ago , and Democrats had pushed for the chamber to seek more documents and testimony from former national security advisor John Bolton , among others .
The House charged Trump with abusing his power by urging Ukraine to investigate 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter as his administration withheld critical military aid .
It also charged him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct .
The poll also gauged who voters would choose in hypothetical general election matchups between Trump and Biden and other top 2020 Democratic presidential candidates .
The first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses on Monday start the process of voters choosing which Democrat will face Trump in November .
The former Vice President Biden fares best against Trump in the early head-to-head surveys .
He leads the incumbent by a 50 % to 44 % margin , the poll found .
Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , has a 4-percentage point advantage , 49 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D-Mass.
, leads 48 % to 45 % .
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg has a 1 percentage point edge , 46 % to 45 % .
Biden , Sanders and Warren all hold smaller leads over Trump than they did in a December survey .
Biden and Sanders are jockeying for position at the top of the Democratic field .
The poll found the pair in a virtual tie nationally among Democratic primary voters .
Sanders has a 27 % to 26 % edge over Biden .
Polling averages in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , New Hampshire , and Nevada show potentially competitive contests , while Biden has enjoyed big leads in the fourth state of South Carolina .
The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.1 percentage points .

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One as he departs Washington for travel to Michigan at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, January 30, 2020.
Voters are roughly split on whether the Senate should remove President Donald Trump from the White House ahead of a historic vote slated for this week, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday.
The survey found 46% of registered voters say the chamber should vote to remove the president from office, while 49% think it should not do so. Even so, 52% of respondents believe Trump abused his power by asking a foreign government to investigate a political opponent, and 53% say he obstructed Congress by not cooperating with the impeachment investigation. Those are the two charges the House leveled against the president in the articles of impeachment it passed in December.
The poll also found 39% of voters think the Senate has enough information to make its decision, while 37% say it needs to collect more information. Another 22% responded that they do not know enough to say. The GOP-held chamber voted against calling additional witnesses Friday in a 51-49 vote.
The poll, conducted Jan. 26-29, comes only a few days before the Senate is expected to acquit Trump on Wednesday. The trial started about two weeks ago, and Democrats had pushed for the chamber to seek more documents and testimony from former national security advisor John Bolton, among others.
The House charged Trump with abusing his power by urging Ukraine to investigate 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter as his administration withheld critical military aid. It also charged him with obstructing the congressional probe into his conduct.
The poll also gauged who voters would choose in hypothetical general election matchups between Trump and Biden and other top 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. The first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses on Monday start the process of voters choosing which Democrat will face Trump in November.
The former Vice President Biden fares best against Trump in the early head-to-head surveys. He leads the incumbent by a 50% to 44% margin, the poll found.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has a 4-percentage point advantage, 49% to 45%. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., leads 48% to 45%.
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg has a 1 percentage point edge, 46% to 45%.
Biden, Sanders and Warren all hold smaller leads over Trump than they did in a December survey.
Biden and Sanders are jockeying for position at the top of the Democratic field. The poll found the pair in a virtual tie nationally among Democratic primary voters. Sanders has a 27% to 26% edge over Biden.
Polling averages in the first three nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada show potentially competitive contests, while Biden has enjoyed big leads in the fourth state of South Carolina.
The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.1 percentage points.
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cnbc--2020-02-02--Voters largely favor capitalism over socialism amid Sanders' rise in 2020 primary

Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and U.S .
Senator Bernie Sanders ( I-VT ) speaks at a campaign stop in Hooksett , New Hampshire , September 30 , 2019 .
Most voters view capitalism better than socialism as debates over how much to revamp the U.S. economic system help shape the 2020 presidential election , according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday .
Still , it is unclear whether voters ' views on the economic and political systems will affect the race — or hurt Sen. Bernie Sanders , a leading presidential candidate who identifies as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registered voters , or 52 % , have a positive view of capitalism , the survey found .
Meanwhile , 18 % have a negative perception .
At the same time , only 19 % of voters have a positive view of socialism .
A majority , 53 % , have a negative perception .
The numbers reinforce why President Donald Trump has — inaccurately — painted all of his potential Democratic opponents in the 2020 election as socialists .
It 's a message the president and his allies could deploy even more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary polls and appears to have a good chance of winning multiple early presidential nominating contests .
Sanders ' brand of democratic socialism involves a push for a single-payer `` Medicare for All '' health care system , higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations to expand the social safety net and stronger labor rights to protect workers from the abuses of employers .
While his proposals would dramatically boost the federal government , they do not call for the type of public ownership of capital or companies typically associated with socialism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination have called his plans to overhaul the U.S. economic system too dramatic .
Candidates such as former Vice President Joe Biden , former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg have called for more gradual policy changes .
The NBC/WSJ survey does not include any questions about how much voters tie Sanders to socialism .
Even so , any association may not hurt him in a hypothetical contest against Trump .
Sanders leads Trump by a 49 % to 45 % margin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the poll found .

Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks at a campaign stop in Hooksett, New Hampshire, September 30, 2019.
Most voters view capitalism better than socialism as debates over how much to revamp the U.S. economic system help shape the 2020 presidential election, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday.
Still, it is unclear whether voters' views on the economic and political systems will affect the race — or hurt Sen. Bernie Sanders, a leading presidential candidate who identifies as a democratic socialist.
More than half of registered voters, or 52%, have a positive view of capitalism, the survey found. Meanwhile, 18% have a negative perception.
At the same time, only 19% of voters have a positive view of socialism. A majority, 53%, have a negative perception.
The numbers reinforce why President Donald Trump has — inaccurately — painted all of his potential Democratic opponents in the 2020 election as socialists. It's a message the president and his allies could deploy even more often as Sanders rises in national Democratic primary polls and appears to have a good chance of winning multiple early presidential nominating contests.
Sanders' brand of democratic socialism involves a push for a single-payer "Medicare for All" health care system, higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations to expand the social safety net and stronger labor rights to protect workers from the abuses of employers. While his proposals would dramatically boost the federal government, they do not call for the type of public ownership of capital or companies typically associated with socialism.
Even so, some of Sanders' rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination have called his plans to overhaul the U.S. economic system too dramatic. Candidates such as former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg have called for more gradual policy changes.
The NBC/WSJ survey does not include any questions about how much voters tie Sanders to socialism. Even so, any association may not hurt him in a hypothetical contest against Trump.
Sanders leads Trump by a 49% to 45% margin in a potential general election matchup, the poll found.
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cnbc--2020-02-01--'I will pay more': Bloomberg unveils $5 trillion tax plan targeting the wealthy and corporations

2020 Democratic presidential hopeful and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks during an event to open a campaign office at Eastern Market in Detroit , Michigan , on December 21 , 2019 .
Billionaire Democratic candidate Mike Bloomberg unveiled a tax plan on Saturday that would unwind corporate tax breaks granted by President Donald Trump and impose an additional 5 % `` surtax '' on incomes above $ 5 million a year .
According to the campaign , the plan in total would generate roughly $ 5 trillion and would be sufficient to help fund Bloomberg 's initiatives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combating climate change and more than $ 1 trillion infrastructure plan .
The campaign did not state how much it would generate from its surtax on incomes above $ 5 million a year , though noted it would only impact less than 0.1 % of taxpayers .
Bloomberg , like fellow moderate candidate Joe Biden , thinks Trump 's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act went too far .
Both want to hike the corporate tax rate up to 28 % , after Trump lowered it from 35 % to 21 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes that lowered taxes on high-income households from 39.6 % .
to 37 % .
Both propose raising capital gain taxes for high-income taxpayers .
`` The plan I am releasing today raises rates on wealthy individuals and corporations , closes loopholes , cracks down on tax avoidance , expands the estate tax , and reduces the tax advantages that investors have over workers , '' said Bloomberg in a statement .
`` And , most importantly , '' he added , `` my plan is achievable '' in a seeming swing at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats , Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren .
For Bloomberg , who has a net worth of more than $ 59 billion and courted business leaders as part of his campaign , a focus on high-income taxpayers is notable .
It is an acknowledgment of rising income inequality and a 2020 presidential campaign that has centered on populist rhetoric .
It echoes language by millionaires and billionaires like Warren Buffett and Abigail Disney who have said they should pay higher taxes .
Bloomberg , who founded financial and media company , Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday he already gives nearly all his company 's profit to charity .
`` Under my plan , I 'll continue doing that , '' he noted .
`` But I will also pay more in taxes to make sure all Americans have the same opportunities I did .
That 's only right . ''
Bloomberg could take the debate stage for the first time in Nevada later this month .
The Democratic National Committee on Friday unveiled new debate rules that dropped the requirement for candidates to obtain a minimum number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door for Bloomberg .
He is polling in fourth place in national surveys , earning approximately 8 % support .

2020 Democratic presidential hopeful and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks during an event to open a campaign office at Eastern Market in Detroit, Michigan, on December 21, 2019.
Billionaire Democratic candidate Mike Bloomberg unveiled a tax plan on Saturday that would unwind corporate tax breaks granted by President Donald Trump and impose an additional 5% "surtax" on incomes above $5 million a year.
According to the campaign, the plan in total would generate roughly $5 trillion and would be sufficient to help fund Bloomberg's initiatives, including his healthcare plan, education, combating climate change and more than $1 trillion infrastructure plan.
The campaign did not state how much it would generate from its surtax on incomes above $5 million a year, though noted it would only impact less than 0.1% of taxpayers.
Bloomberg, like fellow moderate candidate Joe Biden, thinks Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act went too far. Both want to hike the corporate tax rate up to 28%, after Trump lowered it from 35% to 21%. Both want to reverse the Trump tax changes that lowered taxes on high-income households from 39.6%. to 37%. Both propose raising capital gain taxes for high-income taxpayers.
"The plan I am releasing today raises rates on wealthy individuals and corporations, closes loopholes, cracks down on tax avoidance, expands the estate tax, and reduces the tax advantages that investors have over workers," said Bloomberg in a statement.
"And, most importantly," he added, "my plan is achievable" in a seeming swing at more liberal policies put forward by rival Democrats, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
For Bloomberg, who has a net worth of more than $59 billion and courted business leaders as part of his campaign, a focus on high-income taxpayers is notable. It is an acknowledgment of rising income inequality and a 2020 presidential campaign that has centered on populist rhetoric. It echoes language by millionaires and billionaires like Warren Buffett and Abigail Disney who have said they should pay higher taxes.
Bloomberg, who founded financial and media company, Bloomberg LP, said in a statement on Saturday he already gives nearly all his company's profit to charity.
"Under my plan, I'll continue doing that," he noted. "But I will also pay more in taxes to make sure all Americans have the same opportunities I did. That's only right."
Bloomberg could take the debate stage for the first time in Nevada later this month. The Democratic National Committee on Friday unveiled new debate rules that dropped the requirement for candidates to obtain a minimum number of campaign contributors, opening a previously closed door for Bloomberg.
He is polling in fourth place in national surveys, earning approximately 8% support.


cnbc--2020-02-03--Big Tech faces high-stakes test with Iowa caucuses

The big tech companies are facing a high-stakes test of their ability to protect their platforms from interference and root out bad actors as the U.S. presidential election formally kicks off with the Iowa caucuses Monday evening .
Facebook , Google and Twitter said they are coordinating closely with the Democratic National Committee , which is dispatching cybersecurity staff to the caucuses for the first time to provide rapid response on the ground to any threats .
The Iowa Democratic Party has also created a system for voters to submit fake information as they encounter it .
`` The most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have truth and accuracy coming out of such an important milestone in our nomination process , '' Nell Thomas , chief technology officer at the DNC , said in a statement to CNBC .
Tech companies have recently ramped up their efforts to combat misinformation , especially for content related to the election .
Twitter introduced a tool last week that allows users to more easily report false or misleading information about voting .
Facebook 's election-season war rooms are up and running .
And YouTube said Monday that changes to its video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % decline in average watch time of misinformation and so-called `` borderline '' content .
`` YouTube remains committed to maintaining the balance of openness and responsibility , before , during and after the 2020 U.S. election , '' Leslie Miller , YouTube 's president of government and public policy , wrote in a blog post on Monday .
But the platforms are navigating a volatile political climate that has not only pitted Republicans against Democrats , but also turned both parties against the tech industry itself .
Republicans have accused the platforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skeptical of their sheer size and market power .
Both sides have lambasted the companies for allowing political ads to include false information , forcing Twitter to attempt to ban them entirely .
Most recently , Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren proposed establishing criminal penalties for knowingly sharing false information about when and how to vote .
She also called on the CEOs of Facebook , Twitter and YouTube to clearly label content from state-controlled organizations and let users know when they 've been affected by disinformation campaigns .
`` The safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shareholder dividends and CEO salaries , and we need tech companies to behave accordingly , '' Warren wrote on Medium .
The major platforms have previously committed to removing false or misleading content about voting , even when it occurs in political ads .
Facebook said it removed 45,000 misleading posts aimed at voter suppression during the 2018 midterm elections , almost all before they were reported by users or outside organizations .
`` The conversations that we hear from platforms is that they are trying hard to combat misinformation , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it challenging , '' said Chris Lewis , chief executive of the think tank Public Knowledge .
`` I think there are a lot more lessons to be learned every time there is an election , so we can refine how we fight these things as a society . ''
In an op-ed published in the Des Moines Register last month , Facebook 's head of cybersecurity , Nathaniel Gleicher , acknowledged that the company was `` caught off guard '' by the widespread Russian interference in the 2016 election .
He described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and tried to assure Iowans that Facebook is better prepared for this election cycle .
`` We remain committed to fighting election interference , increasing transparency , and giving more people more information about what they see online , '' Gleicher wrote .
`` Those trying to attack our democracy wo n't let up , and neither will we . ''
Correction : This story was updated to reflect the correct name of the Democratic National Committee .

Weston Buhr, a field office organizer, works o this laptop with a volunteer at a Bernie Sanders field office on February 1, 2020 in Waterloo, Iowa. Mark Makela | Getty Images
The big tech companies are facing a high-stakes test of their ability to protect their platforms from interference and root out bad actors as the U.S. presidential election formally kicks off with the Iowa caucuses Monday evening. Facebook , Google and Twitter said they are coordinating closely with the Democratic National Committee, which is dispatching cybersecurity staff to the caucuses for the first time to provide rapid response on the ground to any threats. The Iowa Democratic Party also has created a system for voters to submit fake information as they encounter it. "The most important thing is making sure that we have truth and accuracy coming out of such an important milestone in our nomination process," Nell Thomas, chief technology officer at the DNC, said in a statement to CNBC. Tech companies have recently ramped up their efforts to combat misinformation, especially for content related to the election. Twitter introduced a tool last week that allows users to more easily report false or misleading information about voting. Facebook's election-season war rooms are up and running. And YouTube said Monday that changes to its video recommendation system have led to a 70% decline in average watch time of misinformation and "borderline" content. "YouTube remains committed to maintaining the balance of openness and responsibility, before, during and after the 2020 U.S. election," Leslie Miller, YouTube's president of government and public policy, wrote in a blog post on Monday.
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But the platforms are navigating a volatile political climate that has not only pitted Republicans against Democrats, but also turned both parties against the tech industry itself. Republicans have accused the platforms of bias against conservatives. Democrats are skeptical of their sheer size and market power. Both sides have lambasted the companies for allowing political ads to include false information, forcing Twitter to attempt to ban them entirely. Most recently, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren proposed establishing criminal penalties for knowingly sharing false information about when and how to vote. She also called on the CEOs of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to clearly label content from state-controlled organizations and let users know when they've been affected by disinformation campaigns. "The safety of our democracy is more important than shareholder dividends and CEO salaries, and we need tech companies to behave accordingly," Warren wrote on Medium. The major platforms have previously committed to removing false or misleading content about voting, even when it occurs in political ads. Facebook said it removed 45,000 misleading posts aimed at voter suppression during the 2018 midterm elections, almost all before they were reported by users or outside organizations. "The conversations that we hear from platforms is that they are trying hard to combat misinformation, but the speed at which the internet works makes it challenging," said Chris Lewis, chief executive of the think tank Public Knowledge. "I think there are a lot more lessons to be learned every time there is an election, so we can refine how we fight these things as a society."