Whittier Daily News Article on Our Group 12/26/07

Iowa caucuses lure area activists
By Tracy Garcia, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/26/2007 11:05:19 PM PST


They missed their family Christmas celebrations and they'll be ringing in the New Year thousands of miles away from their loved ones, withstanding below-freezing temperatures while trekking from one house to another to talk about the nation's next leader.

But participating in the Iowa caucuses on behalf of Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson will be worth the sacrifice, says Rio Hondo College trustee Gary Mendez.

Mendez arrived in Des Moines this week with about a dozen political activists from the Whittier, El Monte and Pasadena areas.

The group includes retirees and students from Rio Hondo, Pasadena City College and East Los Angeles College, as well as Arroyo High School freshman Neomi Carrillo, 15, who is accompanying her sister, Erika Aguilar, 26, of El Monte.

"I wanted to experience something new," Carrillo said, while her older sister characterized it as a "once-in-a-lifetime experience."

"This is interesting - it's interesting to learn about this process," Aguilar said. "It's a lot better than just sitting at home and watching it on TV."

The Iowa caucuses, to take place Jan. 3, are the way political party members select county convention delegates, who each support one presidential nominee.

For Republicans, those attending simply vote, by a show of hands or ballots, on their delegates.

But Democrats divide into "preference groups" according to the presidential candidate they support,


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and the caucus chairman decides how many delegates each group can elect. Ultimately, the Democratic presidential candidate with the most delegates at the county conventions is considered the "winner" of Iowa.
The Iowa caucus gets a national spotlight because many believe it's a good indication of which candidate will eventually get the presidential nomination of their party at the national convention.

"You can't get this in California," said Mendez, 38, of Santa Fe Springs. "The primary caucuses are a fascinating event in the democratic process, and the Iowa caucus is the first and one of the most important primaries."

Mendez, Carrillo, Aguilar, Vietnam veteran Ruben Treviso, 61, of Alhambra, Rio Hondo student Ramon Quintero - the group's driver - and East Los Angeles College student Cesar James volunteered Saturday at a toy giveaway in South Whittier before climbing into a white van to pick up the rest of the group for the trip.

Others in the group include senior citizens Erna and Oscar Esparza of Montebello and Pasadena City College student Greg DeRossi.

"I've been active locally on campaigns, but to be on a presidential campaign is awesome," DeRossi said.

Mendez said he organized the group after a call by Richardson's campaign in Iowa.

"I was surprised to find that there is a significant Latino community there," Mendez said. "There are 26,000 Latinos in Iowa, and many of them are Spanish speakers.

"So there was a huge rush for Spanish speakers to be part of the effort to organize, recruit and get Latinos out to the caucuses on Jan. 3," he said.

The group is due to return next week, but is chronicling the trip on a blog at http://richardsonscat.blogspot.com.

"It's going to be an exciting ride in the snow," said Quintero, 30.

tracy.garcia@sgvn.com

(562) 698-0955, Ext. 3051