The Truth About Theresa Greenfield
As those who've voted early know, there will be other names on the ballot besides Donald Trump and Joe Biden — and in some states, such as Iowa, the battle for the Senate is expected to be just as heated. The Hawkeye State's current incumbent, Republican Joni Ernst, is facing off against Democrat Theresa Greenfield, who has raised more cash than any other Senate candidate from Iowa (via The Gazette). So who exactly is this challenger? And why does her name look so familiar?
Turns out Greenfield isn't so green. She ran for Congress in 2018, appearing on the cover of Time alongside dozens of other female candidates running for office as part of the blue tsunami that saw a record number of women elected to the House of Representatives (via The New York Times). Greenfield wasn't among them, however; even though she was seen as a leading candidate at the time, she withdrew her petition to run after her campaign manager informed her that he forged some of the signatures (via The Des Moines Register).
Theresa Greenfield wanted to do the right thing
Depending on the number of invalid signatures, Theresa Greenfield may have qualified for the 2018 primary ballot with her original petition, as the presence of forged signatures wouldn't have automatically invalidated it provided there were enough legitimate signatures to meet ballot requirements. But the Des Moines businesswoman chose to take decisive action, promptly firing Noah Wasserman, the campaign manager responsible for the invalid signatures, and withdrawing her petition (via The Des Moines Register).
With less than 24 hours before the deadline, Greenfield attempted to refile her petition but was unable to gather enough signatures to appear on the ballot. When asked how many signatures were forged on the original petition, Greenfield responded, "I have no idea." She added, "It doesn't matter. If it's one, that's one too many, and I just couldn't allow that to go forward."
Theresa Greenfield's first husband died when she was pregnant
While the mother of four's small town roots as a Minnesota farm kid and credentials as a small business owner will appeal to many voters, Greenfield also wields a compelling personal connection to the policies and programs she champions. When she was a young mother with a second child on the way, the Senate candidate lost her first husband in a work accident (via Iowa Starting Line).
"I'm here to tell you that I wouldn't be standing here today, fighting for this seat, fighting for you, for the opportunity to put Iowa first, if it were not for Social Security and hard-earned union benefits," Greenfield says. She says the support she received allowed her to go back to college and find work so she could take care of her family as a single mother. "I want you to know that I haven't forgotten the lessons of my life," Greenfield explains to voters.