Democrats Woo Activists in Key Des Moines Neighborhood

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Four years ago, the Beaverdale neighborhood in Des Moines, Iowa, organized big for President Barack Obama's re-election, building a volunteer group skilled at phone-banking, door-knocking and boosting caucus participation and dubbing themselves Obamadale.

Now the 2016 Democratic presidential hopefuls are visiting that liberal Iowa stronghold, trying to rename it once more.

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley took questions and led folks in a song at a local bar Friday night. Hillary Rodham Clinton is set to visit a house party Saturday. But they may have to keep wooing for a while. Democrats in Beaverdale are split between the candidates, or still undecided about who to support.

A neighborhood resident, Brad Anderson, who served as Obama's Iowa state director in 2012 calls Beaverdale an "open target" for now.

(Story by: Catherine Lucey, The Associated Press)