Waterloo's Kajtazovic formally entering Iowa 1st District Democratic race

Source: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, IowaAug.存倉 21--WATERLOO, Iowa -- On a four-city tour to announce her candidacy for the 1st District U.S. House, Rep. Anesa Kajtazovic got a warm reception in her home county.About 35 people turned out at the Black Hawk County Democrats headquarters in downtown Waterloo at mid-day Tuesday.How excited are they to see the young immigrant in the race?"She's smart and people relate to her," said Cedar Falls Democratic activist Ruth Walker. "We just need to get her a constitutional amendment so she can be president."She's using her age, 26, as a selling point, saying people are ready for a new generation of leadership."A few will still say I should wait my turn, but women have always been told to wait their turn. Working people have been told to wait their turn, immigrants, African-Americans and our gay and lesbian friends have been told to wait their turn. Our future is now," Kajtazovic said.After six weeks of exploring a candidacy Kajtazovic formally entered the Democratic primary race today.She described herself as a "Bruce Braley Democrat," will announce her candidacy in a series of news conferences around the district.Her entry in the race brings to five the number of Democrats seeking the 2014 nomination to run for the seat now held by Rep. Bruce Braley. He's running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Tom Harkin who is retiring.The others are Rep. Pat Murphy of Dubuque, former state lawmaker and Iowa Utilities Board member Swati Dandekar of Marion, business owner and City Councilwoman Monica Vernon and attorney Dave O'Brien, both of Cedar Rapids.Democrats will select a candidate in the June 2014 primary.She's running "becau自存倉e I believe that government should make people's lives better," Kajtazovic said and promised to "bring a fresh perspective to solve the gridlock and bring about meaningful reform for the middle class."Kajtazovic, who works for a non-profit consumer credit counseling agency and is in her second term in the Iowa House, heard from many Democrats during her listening tour around the 20-county northeast Iowa district there's a "need for a new generation of leadership ... in the mold of Tom Harkin and Bruce Braley that makes economic security and a growing middle class our number one priority."Like Dandekar, who emigrated from India, Kajtazovic calls herself an example of the American Dream. She was 10 when her family immigrated to Waterloo from war-town Bosnia."Only in America could a 10-year-old refugee rise up, graduate from college with a double major in three years and then be elected to a state legislature at the age of 24," she said.However, she believes attaining the American Dream is becoming increasingly difficult for middle class Americans."We must keep the American Dream alive and we can do that by providing all Iowans and all Americans with a fair shot," Kajtazovic said.Kajtazovic's other news conferences were scheduled for Cedar Rapids, Marshalltown and Dubuque.The 1st District stretches from Marshalltown north to Minnesota and east to the Mississippi River. It includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Dubuque.For more on Kajtazovic, visit .anesaforcongress.org.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Visit Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) at .wcfcourier.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉新蒲崗