Klobuchar Campaign Dismisses Reported Alliance with Biden Campaign in Iowa

Democrat presidential hopeful Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s (D-MN) campaign has dismissed a report from the New York Times that Joe Biden’s team contacted hers to form an alliance in the Iowa caucuses.

According to a report from the New York Times on Tuesday, “members for Mr. Biden’s Iowa campaign tentatively floated the idea to a top Klobuchar adviser” at a dinner this week and inquired “about the prospect that the two campaigns could encourage their supporters in the state to back the other candidate in precincts where Mr. Biden or Ms. Klobuchar fall short of the 15 percent threshold required to reach the second round of balloting.”

Contrary to the Times‘ reporting, the senior Klobuchar aide, Pete Giangreco, reportedly dismissed the effort. The Klobuchar campaign has now stated it has no intention of working with rivals.

“Our campaign is on the rise,” said Tim Hogan, Klobuchar’s communications director. “We’ve never made caucus deals with other campaigns and don’t intend to.”

According to the latest Iowa survey from Monmouth University, Biden received 23 percent support and Klobuchar received 10 percent support. Those ahead of Klobuchar in the Iowa poll include Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (21 percent), former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg (16 percent), and Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren (15 percent).

Both billionaire Tom Steyer and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang tailed Klobuchar in the Monmouth poll with four percent support and three percent support, respectively.