Cold doesn’t keep student from going door-to-door

By Mark Zdechlik

MPR News.org/90.1

“Hi. My name is Natalie. I’m knocking on some doors in the area for Secretary Clinton. Do you know if you’ll be supporting her at the Feb. 1 caucus?”

Augsburg College student Natalie Shaw had those lines down pat during a recent freezing winter day as she knocked on doors for Hillary Clinton. While she could have been a lot warmer, she could not have been happier to be spreading the word about Hillary Clinton in Iowa.

Shaw, 21, is among thousands of volunteers pressing Iowans in person as the Feb. 1 caucuses near. It’s the kind of crucial but unglamorous work vital to Clinton, her Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders and all the other presidential candidates hoping for an early boost for their campaigns.

Tagging along with her for a day opens a window onto the political passion of those who back their candidates with more than a vote. As Shaw makes her way from house to house, most doors do not open. But that’s just part of the gig. When someone does answer, they’re almost always polite and accommodating, regardless of who they support.

“Iowans are just such amazing people,” Shaw said. “You call them up and you’re like, ‘Hey, I’d love to talk to you about the election, you know hear the different things that are important to you.’ And they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, come over, have dinner.’”