Iowa Democratic Party

DATE: March 27, 2019

Iowa Democrats Announce 2020 Hires

DES MOINES – Today the Iowa Democratic Party announced key hires for the 2020 caucus and general election cycle. These hires aim to fill senior leadership positions and build out an aggressive caucus organizing program.

Seth Cohen will serve as Caucus to Convention Director, overseeing the implementation of the 2020 Delegation Selection plan beginning with ensuring the first in the nation Iowa Caucuses are a success. Seth has spent numerous cycles as an organizer, Finance Director, and Campaign Manager.

Mandy McClure will serve as Communications Director, where she will oversee the communications strategy surrounding the first in the nation Iowa Caucuses and other Party communications including holding Senator Ernst accountable. Prior to joining the Iowa Democratic Party, she was the Midwest Press Secretary for the Democratic National Committee, Press Secretary for Senator Tom Harkin, and is a native Iowan.

Jonah Hermann will now serve as Head of Media, a role he had been serving on an interim basis since February, where he will strategize around online and offline messaging, and branding of the Iowa Democratic Party. He previously served as the party’s digital director for the 2018 cycle.

Blair Lawton remains on staff as Party Affairs Director. He will be working closely with county parties, presidential campaigns and partners, and managing the organizing staff to build a powerful party infrastructure that exists year round and is prepared to mobilize supporters. He served as the party’s Organizing Director in 2018, and several other campaigns including with Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama.

Additionally, Amanda Ludwigs, Mauricio Diaz, Caitrin Sneed, and Hal Goetz join the IDP as District Organizing Directors. Each of them worked in Iowa during the 2018 cycle and will be working with county parties and local activists to ensure each of the 1,679 precinct caucuses are a success and that the Party is building a strong infrastructure for 2020.

“I am thrilled to welcome these incredibly talented staffers to the Iowa Democratic Party family. They are joining an existing team of folks who will lead Democrats into the future in the Hawkeye State.

“Together, we will be laying the groundwork to defeat Senator Joni Ernst and Steve King, continue to hold Kim Reynolds and the GOP legislature accountable, flip the state House and Senate, and support our incumbent Democrats in Congress. And of course, we will be organizing the most transparent, accessible, and successful Iowa caucuses ever.

“This is the next wave of the team that will get the job done!” said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price.

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ed note:


Chairman  Troy Price
(elected July 22, 2017; re-elected Dec. 16, 2018)  Senior advisor on Hillary Clinton 2016 general election campaign in Iowa after serving as political director on her Iowa caucus campaign from April 2015.  Political director on Obama's campaign in Iowa from Feb. 2012.  Executive director at One Iowa after starting there in June 2010 as political director.  Senior communication specialist and interim communications director to Gov. Chet Culver.  Communication assistant in the Vilsack/Pederson administration.  Worked at the Iowa Department of Public Health and Economic Development.  Staff of Gov. Tom Vilsack and Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson and worked on therir 2002 re-election campaign.  Degree in political science from University of Iowa.  From Durant (Cedar County in Eastern Iowa).  twitter


Executive Director  Kevin Geiken
(from April 2017, announced Mar. 2017) Event producer at CLE from Mar. 2015.  Principal at Bluprint Strategies from Feb. 2015.  Deputy executive director (April 2014-Feb. 2015) and field director (Mar. 2013-Mar. 2014) at the Iowa Democratic Party.  Iowa training director for Obama for America, Feb.-Nov. 2012.  Iowa field director (April 2010-Jan. 2012) and deputy field director (June 2009-Mar. 2010) at Organizing for America.  Production coordinator at Thomson Productions, Inc., May 2005-June 2008.  Graduate in liberal studies/performing arts from Iowa State University, 2005.  twitter


Caucus to Convention Director  Seth Cohen
Field director on Debbie Mucarsel-Powell for Congress (FL), Sept.-Nov. 2018.  Campaign mannager on Heather Ross for Congress (AZ), June-Aug. 2018.  Finance director on Boulton for Iowa, Sept. 2017-June 2018.  Finance director for the Iowa Senate Majority Fund, Mar. -Sept. 2017.  GOTV director for the Arizona Democratic Party, July-Nov. 2016.  Field director on Monica Vernon for Congress, Feb.-June 2016.  Regional field director on O'Malley for President, May 2015-Feb. 2016.  Deputy paid canvass director for the Iowa Democratic Party, July-Nov. 2014.  Field director  on Friends of Doug Duncan (MD), Mar.-June 2014.  Field organizer for Human Rights Campaign, Aug.-Nov. 2013.  Field organizer for Organizing for America in Hickory, NC, June-Nov. 2012; summer organizer for Organizing for america, May-Aug. 2011.  Degree in political science from Appalachian State University, 2013.

Party Affairs Director  Blair Lawton
(May 2017)  Field director for CD-3 for the Iowa Democratic Party, June-Nov. 2016.  Iowa political director on Bernie 2016, June 2015-June 2016.   Iowa field director on MoveOn.org Political Action/Democracy for America's Run Warren Run campaign, Jan.-early June 2015.  Get-out-the-vote director for the Alaska Democratic Coordinated Campaign, Aug.-Nov. 2014.  Minnesota state coordinator at Organizing for Action, April 2013-April 2014.  Statewide organizer at Progress Iowa, Dec. 2012-Jan. 2013.  Regional field director for Organizing for America in Waterloo, Jan.-Nov. 2012; field organizer for Organizing for America in Sioux City, Aug. 2011-Jan. 2012.  Assistant manager at Hollister Co., Dec. 2008-March 2011.  B.A. in political science and government from Morningside College in Sioux City, 2008.  Native of Western Iowa.  twitter