Where to Eat in Swing States, Early Primary States and More!

When I tell people I liked the food in Little Rock more than the food in Southern California, they are often surprised. Thinking about it, I can't really compare the two objectively because I had such excellent guides in Arkansas. Similarly, now that I'm in Minnesota (I'm exhausted just reading this. Someone hire me for good post-2020!) I'm on the hunt for neighborhood go-tos as well as places to eat as I travel about the state. And I thought, "Everyone should be as lucky as I was with my crew in Arkansas!" So, I've crowd sourced places to eat in early states, swing states and more. This will be an evolving list so please feel free to comment with your faves! Huge thank you to all my many friends both real and Internet for contributing.


Key:
Bold-I have personally eaten there, CAN CONFIRM.
Italics- Vegan or vegan-friendly. (Not exhaustive, these are just places I know for sure are vegan friendly)
"" Are comments for contributors
() Contain comments from yours truly

Early States:

Iowa
The Cafe, Ames
Downtown Deli, Ames
Fuzzy's Tacos, Ames
Great Plains Pizza, Ames
Hickory Park, Ames
The Spice, Ames
Whitney's Ice Cream, Bettendorf
La Tavola Italian, Burlington
Jay's Homestyle, Cedar Falls
Taste of India, Cedar Falls
Irish Democrat, Cedar Rapids
Cabin Coffee, Clear Lake
Rice House, Clear Lake
30 Hop, Coralville
La Vecina, Coralville
Monica's, Coralville
Scratch Bakery, Coralville
Vesta, Coralville
La Prairie French Bakery, Des Moines
Mars Cafe, Des Moines
St. Kilda, Des Moines
Zombie Burger, Des Moines
Dubuque Mining Company, Dubuque
Mario's, Dubuque (It is ALWAYS someone's birthday in there. They are constantly singing happy birthday)
Salsa's, Dubuque
Schera's, Elkader
Blackstone, Iowa City
Blue Bird Diner, Iowa City
Brix, Iowa City
The Cottage Bakery, Iowa City
Dumpling Darling, Iowa City and Des Moines
Goosetown Cafe, Iowa City
Hamburg Inn No. 2, Iowa City "For the pie shakes" (Famous popular stop for Presidential candidates because of the coffee bean poll)
Her Soup Kitchen, Iowa City
Java House, Iowa City
The Mill, Iowa City "Get the Nachos" (Also best option for day drinking)
Oasis, Iowa City (This came up from multiple sources and remembering how good it is,I almost jumped in the car.)
Pagliai’s, Iowa City (Guys seriously this is the best pizza I have ever had in the Midwest)
Pullman, Iowa City
La Regia, Iowa City
Short’s, Iowa City "Get the burger or black bean burger"
Stella's, Iowa City
Trumpet Blossom, Iowa City
The Vue, Iowa City
Rudy's Tacos, Waterloo

New Hampshire
The Friendly Toast, Bedford and Portsmouth (Had one near my college too! The stuffed french toast is the best brunch I've ever had)
Crust and Crumb, Concord
Dos Amigos, Concord
Margaritas, Concord, Exeter, Nashua, Portsmouth
Vibes, Concord
The Works, Concord and Portsmouth
The Bookery, Manchester
Cafe la Reine, Manchester
Gyro Spot, Manchester
The Puritan Backroom, Manchester
Noodz, Manchester
Portland Pie Company, Manchester
Red Arrow Diner, Manchester "Get the poutine!"
Hart's Turkey Farm Restaurant, Meredith
Parker’s Maple Barn, Mason
Ava Marie’s Chocolates, Peterborough
Bagel Mill,Peterborough
Fezziwigs, Portsmouth
Popover's, Portsmouth
Tuscan Market, Portsmouth
Kashmir, Salem
Tilt'n Diner, Tilton

Nevada
Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas
Habaneros, Las Vegas
Capriotti's, Las Vegas

South Carolina
Fruit Punch, Anderson "Get a bird dog. It’s a hot dog with chicken fingers, bacon, honey mustard and cheese"
Callie's Hot Little Biscuit, Charleston
Bowen's Island, Folly Beach
Pita House, Greenville

Swing States and other states in which contributors have worked

Arizona
Horsemen Lodge, Flagstaff
America's Taco Shop, Phoenix

Arkansas
Doe's Eat Place, Little Rock (BEST tamales)
Lost Forty Brewery, Little Rock
Sims BBQ, Little Rock
Slim Chickens, Little Rock
Three Fold, Little Rock

California
Georgia's, Anaheim (In the Anaheim packing district. Get the spicy chicken sandwich)
Grow, Anaheim (Get an iced lavender latte and the avocado toast)
Mendocino Farms, Multiple locations (Everything is delicious but I am partial to the chicken caesar salad)
Cafe Moulin, Laguna Beach "Get the French hotdog, only available at the Laguna Beach location and only in the summer"
Two Saucy Broads, Fullerton (Best pizza in Orange County)
Christaki's, Tustin (Sit down place. Best gyro in the area)

Colorado
La Caretta, Colorado Springs
Poor Richard's, Denver
Charlie Brown's, Denver
City O City, Denver
Denver Beer Company, Denver
Denver Biscuit Company, Denver
Lechuga's, Denver
Pablo's Coffee, Denver
Rosenberg's Bagels, Denver
Sam's #3, Denver
Santiago's, Denver
Sassafras, Denver
Vital Root, Denver
Watercourse, Denver

Delaware
Capriotti's, Multiple locations

Florida
Publix, Multiple locations (Yes, the grocery store. I left this in because people are obsessed with their subs)
Four Rivers Smokehouse, Multiple locations
Satchel's Pizza, Gainesville
Basilic Vietnamese Grill, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Alter, Miami
The Big Pink, Miami
Garcia's, Miami
Monty's, Miami "For Happy Hour"
Prime Fish, Miami Beach "Bottomless brunch"
Kadence Sushi, Orlando
Carmine's, Palm Beach Garden
Columbia Restaurant, St.Petersburg and Tampa
Wright's Gourmet House, Tampa


Michigan
Zingerman's, Ann Arbor (Have not eaten there but have gotten a gift basket from them and made their mushroom soup recipe)
Anchor Bar, Detroit
Slow's BBQ, Detroit

Minnesota
Matt's, Minneapolis "for the Juicy Loosy"
Mucci's, Minneapolis (favorite rec I've received so far in MN. The bucatini, focaccia and tiramisu are especially delicious)
Safari Express, Minneapolis "For the camel burger"
Canadian Honker, Rochester
Lifestooshort, Rochester
Nupa, Rochester
Hunan Garden, Rochester
Bloedows Bakery, Winona

Missouri
Gates, Kansas City, "burnt ends, plus they have the best sauce"
Jack Stack, Kansas City "cheesy corn bake"
Joe's, Kansas City "burnt ends, pulled pork, fries"
Q39, Kansas City "pork ribs"

North Carolina
Fiction Kitchen, Raleigh
Happy & Hale, Raleigh
Rise, Raleigh (I'm obsessed with their creme brulee donut and I don't even like donuts. Also their biscuits are baking goals)


Ohio
Melt, Multiple Cities
Swenson's, Akron "LeBron took Amy Schumer and co to Swensons, so it's good enough for me!"
Campus Pollyeyes, Bowling Green
Yours Truly, Chagrin Falls "the Killit Skillet is the best hangover food on the planet"
Side Quest, Cleveland
Slyman's, Cleveland
Sweet Moses, Cleveland
West Side Market and Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland
Jeni’s Ice Cream, Columbus
Katzinger's Delicatessen, Columbus
Little Palace, Columbus
North Market, Columbus
Old Skool, Columbus
Schmidt's Sausage Haus, Columbus
Tony Packos, Toledo

Pennsylvania
Bird in Hand Farmer's Market, Bird in Hand
Hibernian Cafe, Drexel Hill
Klein Farms, Easton
Tomato Pie Cafe, Harrisburg
Cocina Mexicana, Lancaster
Prince Street Cafe, Lancaster
Sprout, Lancaster
The Vandal, Lawrenceville
Dim Sum by Jane G, Philadelphia
Han Dynasty, Philadelphia (MaPo Tofu and the DanDan Noodles are both excellent)
Jim's Steaks South Street, Philadelphia
South Philly Barbacoa, Philadelphia
Tony Luke's Sandwich Shop, Philadelphia
Jimmie John's, West Chester "Not the sandwich place!"

Virginia
Bodos Bagels, Charlottesville
Okra's, Manasaas (My husband's favorite)

Wisconsin
The Vegetarian, St. Croix Falls
Dotty Dumpling's Dowry, Madison
Graze, Madison
Ian's Pizza, Madison
Monty's Blue Plate Diner, Madison
The Old Fashioned, Madison (the CHEESE CURDS you guys)
Pel'meni, Madison
Weary Traveler, Madison
Tornado Room, Madison
Sobelmans’s, Milwaukee "for burgers and Bloody Marys"
Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee "for Friday Fish Fry"
Kopp’s, Milwaukee "for frozen custard and burgers"


This list is far from exhaustive even within my own brain so please get at me with your suggestions! And/or comment below if you are looking for a place to eat in your turf. Maybe someone has been there before!

Isn't That Special (Elections taking place beyond Georgia)

In case you have been living under a rock, or just have a very different social media cadre than I do there is a special election coming up in Georgia. Actually, one just happened and now there is a runoff. (Even though it was not the runaway we were hoping for BIG congratulations to everyone on the ground for Jon Ossoff! I am hopeful for June 20!) That same evening Jackie Smith won the race for Prince William County, Virginia's Clerk of Court and it got me wondering what other state and local special elections are taking place that are worth our notice. With the help of my amazing Facebook friends and wider social media network here is a by-no-means-exhaustive list of special elections taking place across the country! Please feel free to message me to add your own!

Statewide/Federal

Alabama- Alabama's new Governor, Kay Ivey has set the date for a special election to replace a one Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions (now US Attorney General, God help us) in the US Senate. The seat is currently being held by Republican Luther Strange. The primary will be August 15th and the general December 12th. Alabama is R+14.

Georgia- See above. The district is R+8.

Montana- To replace former Congressman Ryan Zinke for Montana's At-Large congressional seat. Zinke is now Secretary of the Interior. Rob Quist is the Democratic nominee. The special election is on May 25th. The district is R+11.

South Carolina- To replace Congressman Mick Mulvaney, now the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The primary is May 2nd and the special election June 20th. The district is R+9.

State and Local

Florida- Special election to replace Frank Artiles, SD 41. You can read about why he resigned this week here. The resignation is so recent that a date has yet to be set, but here is a list of potential candidates.

New Hampshire- After the death of an incumbent State Senator a primary will be held for New Hampshire State Senate District 16 on June 6th followed by a general election on July 25.

New York- There will be a May 23rd special election for New York State Assembly District 9, which is on Long Island. Democrat Christine Pellegrino has an uphill battle.

Rhode Island- Special election to replace resigning Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed of the 13th district. There will be a July 18th primary and an August 22nd general election.

Tennessee- Special election to replace Mark Lovell, HD 95. A primary will take place this Thursday, April 27th and the general election will be on June 15th.

Trump's pick for Army Secretary Mark Green, who says stuff like this about transgender people and represents SD 22 is expected to resign this week which would will trigger an "August-ish" special election.

Washington State- Democrat Manka Dhingra is running in the Senate District 45 special election, being held to replace a legislator who died last year. This race is especially important because it is likely to determine the balance of power in the Washington State Senate. The election will take place in November.

Please note these are not all the special elections going on in the US, just those you thought were noteworthy. You tell me, who else should we be talking about? You can find an addition list, although still not a complete one, of state legislative special elections here.

Shout outs of course to Lincoln and Omaha Nebraska (both in May!), New York City, Atlanta, LA, New Jersey and Virginia all of which have elections this year, although not "specials."

Today In Voter Suppression: Voter ID Debate Still Goin' Strong

When I presented my Op-Ed on Section 5 to my Policy Writing class one of my classmates responded, "I kind of thought all of this was resolved when Obama won re-election." Lest I catch any of you making similarly ill-informed statements, here are just a few of the things going on with Voter ID laws across our great country:

Virginia: Senate Bill 719 and House Bill 1337, which passed the Senate and House of Delegates on largely party line votes, will severely restrict the number of acceptable forms of voter identification. The laws will take effect in 2014.

Maine: An independent panel formed by a Republican official and charged with examining Maine's electoral system has concluded that the state should not a implement voter ID system. "The issue of voter ID became a hot topic in Maine in November, when outgoing Republican Party Chair Charlie Webster claimed that part of the reason Republicans lost their races was because black voters cast ballots in rural Maine towns...Webster later apologized."

Indiana: Under proposed House Bill 1311, students who pay out-of-state tuition would not be able to vote in Indiana.

Missouri: "The Missouri House is set to again consider legislation that would require voters to show photo identification at the polls...The state Supreme Court struck down a 2006 photo ID law before it went into effect, and the GOP-controlled Legislature's efforts to push through a similar requirement in 2011 fizzled with a gubernatorial veto and a court challenge. Lawmakers also proposed, but failed to pass, a photo ID bill last year. This session, Republicans have returned to Jefferson City with veto-proof majorities in both the House and Senate and are pushing the effort again."

New Hampshire: A bill to repeal the new voter photo identification law drew support Tuesday at a public hearing. Lawmakers last year approved a photo ID bill just months before the primary election that required voters to show a variety of photo IDs in order to vote in last November’s election. However, beginning in September, the list of acceptable photo IDs narrows to state or federally issued IDs.

Researchers Study: Do Yard Signs Vote?

It's no secret that the local activist and candidate obsession over yardsigns is the bane of any good organizer's existence. How many times have you banged your head against a desk after a potential volunteer refused to make calls or knock doors but offered, as if it were a consolation prize, "I'll take a yard sign!" This phenomenon has led to the campaign adage "Yard signs don't vote."

As this Slate.com article on the efficacy of yardsigns points out, "Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign charged supporters for lawn signs, registering the income as contributions, which helped the campaign bolster its number of small donors and to gather personal information on its supporters." That's one way to do it.

Slate also reports that "Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s re-election effort decided not to print the signs at all and felt empowered to cut back on its field offices around the state after concluding that the facilities existed for little purpose but distributing the signs." Wow, just wow, Rick Perry. How did that work out for you? Saying a field office is little more than a yard sign distribution center is like calling a bank a company that provides free pens.

You can imagine my alarm when I saw this article on a facebook friend's wall along with the comment "Yard signs do vote." What the WHAT? I had to read more. Thankfully for my abilities of cognitive dissonance, that's not quite the argument being made. The article describes three experiments done with yard signs. In the first researchers "matched 14 pairs of Manhattan voting locations with similar turnout levels in previous elections. In each pair, he randomly designated one location as a control and the other as an experimental treatment: a small group of volunteers stood...on election eve with white 2-foot -by-3-foot signs with “VOTE TOMORROW” written in blue. Once the polls had closed,... [they]...found that the ones visited by his sign-wavers had 37 percent turnout, nearly four points higher than those that didn’t." No surprise there. One of the basic tenets of field is that a simple reminder will make people markedly more likely to vote.

In the second study researches found that "the act of putting a sign in a window seems as contagious as leaving one of its panes broken: Those whose neighbors had signs were more likely to have one themselves, regardless of whether they supported the same party or different ones." Again, no surprise. We've all heard volunteers practically beg for a sign to display because "McCain signs are taking over the neighborhood!"

Finally, and my favorite, in 2006 an Auburn University cultural economist found that "Households that displayed either an American flag, football insignia, or campaign sign were 2.4 times more likely to have a resident who voted in the elections than houses which had none of the three. While campaign signs were the most strongly predictive of having cast a vote, just sporting an American flag made a household twice as likely to have a voter, and even Auburn football gear made it 1.6 times more likely." This study goes to show that concluding a causal relationship between yard signs and voting is a case of the tail wagging the dog. Rather, people who are more engaged in their community and more passionate about expressing themselves are also more likely to vote.

In conclusion, yard signs don't vote, but sometimes voters display yard signs.*Satisfied Sigh* All is right with the world.

Campaign Quickie 2

A little Primary Day humor from my non-campaign friend with a New Hampshire area code:

Lee: If Rick Santorum robodials me at ridiculoud o'clock again this morning, I will find a way to inseminate a married gay arab man, and then abort the fetus. Mark my words.

me: Hahahaahha. This is the kind of reaction campaign workers live for.

Huntsman Ties Romney in Dixville Notch

A return to reason?

Apart from its hilarious name, Dixville Notch, along with another precinct called Harts Location, is traditionally the first town to vote in New Hampshire, voting at midnight on primary day and the general election.

In tonight's vote, Huntsman and Romney each took two of the nine votes cast, followed by Paul and Gingrich who each took one. (The remaining three were cast in the Democratic primary for President Obama.)

Let me be clear, if by some miracle Jon Huntsman wins the nomination, I will work against him and vote for President Obama. That doesn't keep me from offering him unbridled support, volunteer hours, and rare financial contribution in the primary. I disagree with Huntsman on taxes and healthcare. Still, Jon Huntsman is a patriot, a qualified candidate and a reasonable, intelligent man. It's not that I want Jon Huntsman to be President, it's that I want to live in an America where Republicans choose him to be the nominee.

I've already written a blog post discussing my belief in God, but perhaps my second most controversial belief is my unfailing faith in our system. Yes, we are extremely imperfect, but I still believe in American exceptionalism, in democracy and meritocracy, however flawed our paths there may be. It's no secret that we live in an era of partisanship. Imagine the debates in an Obama versus Huntsman election. Imagine choosing between the better of two candidates. Imagine losing an election and not feeling like half the country has been disenfranchised.

Sure, if Huntsman became the nominee (which he won't) I would necessarily convince myself of his evil, as I have in past Democratic primaries, and I would need to because he is by far the most likely to beat Obama. Still, Dixville Notch's returns bring me hope. At this point in my career the best thing that could happen to me is a worthy adversary. Little by little, Americans are failing at democracy better. Huntsman's showing is a good first step toward restoring our faith in our system.

Happy Primary Day!!!
-Nancy

What A Long Strange Trip It's Been

It's late October of 2010. I'm standing in a Connecticut auditorium with 10,000 other people. Barack Obama has just finished speaking. I'm wearing a staff badge and a red Organizing for America t-shirt.

My boss, my organizer and I are all crying. All three of us are exhausted, but satisfied and grinning through our tears at the lucky ten volunteers we've selected to meet the President. My boss is crying because we've just organized and orchestrated an event with the President three days before the midterm election with precious little resources and even less time. My organizer is crying because she's never heard the President speak before. And I'm crying because...well, it's complicated.

Imagine the same scenario a little over three years earlier. I'm exhausted and crying in an auditorium full of cheering Democrats, enervated but excited by the opportunity I've been able to provide my volunteers. Barack Obama has just given a speech so similar to the one mentioned above that in my mind's eye they are one and the same. Trade my red t-shirt for a white one that says "John Edwards for President." Move the auditorium about 1200 miles Westward. I'm at the 2007 Iowa Jefferson Jackson dinner.

In 2007, I'm crying because I hate the people in the red shirts. I've uprooted my life to work under high pressure at what amounts minimum wage because John Edwards is clearly the only candidate with the substance and experience to pass a health care bill, and to my mind the most progressive on LGBT rights and on education. I just don't get what people see in Barack Obama.*

I've often compared campaigns, particularly that one, to being in love and losing to having your heart broken. It sounds dramatic but I believe it to be apt. To be in love you need to believe that your relationship is worth sacrificing for. You put up with things in the name of future happiness. When it works out, it's amazing and when it doesn't you feel like a fool. I was so convinced that John Edwards HAD to be the next President, as if it were a matter of life and death. But the amazing thing about having our hearts broken is that we allow ourselves to be vulnerable again. Because as much as it hurt, we wouldn't be the same person without it.

I love when things come full circle. There's something beautiful about the cyclical nature of campaigns. The zen of election day, the rhythm of call time. Just like love, there's something about it that you will never understand unless you experience it. It's corny, but it's who I am.

That's why I was crying in Connecticut and that's why I drove up to New Hampshire today. That's why I write this blog. That's why no matter where I am or what I become, I will always be a field organizer.

It's been an emotional day. As my broworker Renner would say, I can't Marcus Bachmann away my feelings anymore. Infinite, infinite love to him and my entire campaign family. The truth is, I would do it all again if it meant I got to know you.


Peace, Love and Walklists,
Nancy










*It should be noted that after Iowa I came to accept that I am a horrible judge of character.

Happy Anniversary to Me!!

Yup.

Hello there! I haven't seen you all year! I was working on a long and cheesy piece about what the four year anniversary of the 2008 Caucus meant to me, but I couldn't quite figure out how to finish it and I have to run because I'm going to New Hampshire!!! In the style most ironic and best fitting our inability to predict the future, I am going to do some primary GOTV for Barack Obama. Can't wait to finish my cheesiness and to tell you all about it.

What a long strange trip it's been!
-Nancy

Florida Moves its Primary

Booooring. Florida moved its primary up, so South Carolina moved its primary up and Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada are going to do the same.

Who could have predicted that? Everyone. Why? Because they did it last year. And they will do it again. States want the economic benefits of the circus coming to town. State party officials and electeds want the bargaining power in the national parties and the gratitude of their constituents. They all want their state's issues to be more important. Going early is a big bargaining chip. Ever wonder why the corn lobby is powerful? The first caucus state is Iowa.

We're a long, long way away from having a national primary (whether or not that's something we want is its own discussion) because nobody wants to be the guy who suggests or supports it and then gets punished in Iowa.

Let the lames begin!

2012 Republican straw poll happening in New Hampshire this weekend. Way to take the lead on meaningless undemocratic processes that politicians can use to garner momentum. In your face, Iowa!

Here's a scary thought...

...if 2011:2012 as 2007:2008, that is, if the 2012 Democratic nomination were in serious dispute, and I was not, God-willing, going to Grad School, I would be vigorously looking for a job in Iowa or New Hampshire right now.

Shudder.