First stop of the day is a union hall hosting a satellite caucus for poultry plant workers (between shifts I believe). The smell around here is ... strong. 
Pro-Bernie poultry plant workers are here.
Correction: It’s the JBS pork plant. These folks work the later shift.
Local county party chair says this is the first caucus in the state and the country. And the first ever satellite caucus in the country. (The Republic of Georgia went two hours ago.)
Million Yirgu, an Ethiopian immigrant plant worker, supports Bernie because he’s not for billionaires.
But Rosalie Willis, an immigrant from Honduras, is caucusing for Bernie because she promised the “muchacha” — a campaign organizer — when she met her outside the plant at 1 am.
But Rosalie Willis, an immigrant from Honduras, is caucusing for Bernie because she promised the “muchacha” — a campaign organizer — when she met her outside the plant at 1 am.
There are no supporters of anyone here besides Bernie or Warren. Unclear if Warren will be viable.
The woman in the gray hoodie is the Bernie organizer helping Spanish speaking caucusgoers with instructions
Not looking good for the one Warrenite
Warren person chose not to realign with Bernie. Her vote is effectively not counted as anything
Phil Cross, 67, caucused for Bernie in his first ever caucus. He’s worked the night shift for 25 years and there had never been a time that worked.
*Important update: The local union has endorsed Bernie.*
*Important update: The local union has endorsed Bernie.*
Frank Flanders, 53, works the morning shift and is the UFCW political director. The union just did 1-to-1 persuasion he said because he thinks light touch is more effective. He emphasized Bernie support for unions and civil rights...
The union got the satellite caucus approved but the Bernie campaign did more of the leg work organizing and pre-registering voters after the state party created a pre-registration requirement. 31 people were pre-registered; including Frank, who ran the thing, 14 showed.
Like many local union officials and activists in struggling industrial areas, Flanders really dislikes the cautious political strategy of the international union leadership. He caucused for Bernie despite UFCW’s endorsement of Hillary last time ...
Chris Laursen, a staunch Berniecrat who was on hand as an observer, runs the local UAW 74 at the John Deere plant. They have a satellite caucus for members tonight but he’s running another somewhere else.
Laursen, whose local hasn’t formally endorsed Bernie, voted for Jill Stein in the general last time. If Bernie loses and the DNC or other elements of the Dem establishment employ what he considers unfair practices this time, he’ll do it again.
Evidence of Ottumwa’s growing diversity in the past few decades.
Strategic culinary positioning for the local Bernie field office.
