This is Nate Willems.  I was a regional director for Howard Dean's Iowa campaign and recently finished law school at the University of Iowa.

On the night of January 2, 2004, I was sitting in my Council Bluffs, Iowa, Dean for America office.  Three guys walked in and told me that they were my new field organizers and had just arrived from Des Moines.  Nobody in Des Moines had informed me that I was getting three new organizers, but that was not unusual late in the caucus campaign.

Two of my new organizers were young, nicely dressed, and had been working in the Burlington HQ before being shipped out to Iowa for the final push.  The third guy was 40ish, 5 feet tall (generously), and had a metal hook instead of a left hand.

"I'm Steve Novick," he said.  

"What in the heck am I supposed to do with this guy?" I wondered to myself.  After talking with Steve, I realized he was an attorney from Portland, very active politically, and that we both knew Portland pollster Lisa Grove and D.C. media consultant Rachel Gorlin.  So, I found Steve housing and sent him to take on one of the tougher nuts to crack, Montgomery County.

We had made some inroads in Montgomery County, and its county seat Red Oak, but I knew that we were fighting an uphill battle against Kerry in that county.  Red Oak is the hometown of John Norris - Former State Party Chair, Chief of Staff to Governor Vilsack, Congressional Candidate, AND State Director of Kerry's Campaign in Iowa.  Norris also managed Jesse Jackson's 1988 Iowa Caucus campaign; Montgomery County may have been the only county Jackson won on caucus night.  Though John no longer resided in Red Oak, his mother did.  In the small, but hearty, group of Montgomery County Democrats, Patsy Norris was a mainstay.

I explained the situation to Steve, and he was up for the challenge.  I encouraged him to, "Just try to keep it close." Novick got in his car with our Montgomery County lists, a cell phone, and a map and went to work.  I spoke to him each night as he reported his numbers: contacts, 1's, 2's, 3's, etc.  It was mind-numbing work that made you feel, at times, like a glorified telemarketer.  Steve was always positive, and very reliable.  

As it turned out, Howard Dean took second place in Montgomery County with 25% (he actually tied Edwards for second, but when you have a night like we did on caucus night, ties count).  Kerry won the county with 40%.  However, that number was only two points better than Kerry's statewide total of 38% whereas Steve managed to get Dean's numbers up to seven points higher than the statewide total of 18%.  So, it was a Dean victory, of sorts.

Novick went back to Oregon, I went to law school, and we have kept in contact.  Steve Novick has decided to run for the Unites State Senate and I am excited.  The Senate is a far better place than it was just last year, however, it still lacks someone of Paul Wellstone convictions and stature.  Aside from Novick, not many Harvard Law graduates choose to pass up the big money of large law firms and work in the Environment Division of the United States Department of Justice, or work on behalf of Democratic candidates and as a community activist.  Steve Novick has committed his life to public service and standing up for progressive candidates and ideas.  The United States Senate would be a better place if Steve Novick is elected.

Steve Novick came out to Iowa in the middle of Winter to support and fight for Howard Dean.  For that alone, I would ask that you visit his website and donate to "The Fighter With the Hard Left Hook."