Joe Biden Phones Winner Of Iowa Town's Mayoral Race

Biden Phones Mayoral Winner In Tiny Coralville, Iowa
Vice President Joe Biden delivers the keynote and honors his former Senate colleague of more than 20 years, Senator Jay Rockefeller, at the annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner at the Charleston Civic Center. W.Va. on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Tyler Evert)
Vice President Joe Biden delivers the keynote and honors his former Senate colleague of more than 20 years, Senator Jay Rockefeller, at the annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner at the Charleston Civic Center. W.Va. on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Tyler Evert)

Coralville, Iowa, Mayor-elect John Lundell received a congratulatory phone call from Vice President Joe Biden shortly after his victory Tuesday night.

“He indicated that he was very proud of our city, that we took on the Koch brothers and successfully beat them by such a huge margin,” said Lundell, a city council member who easily defeated three competitors in the nonpartisan election. “That was another aspect of this election that was unanticipated, that after the polls closed that I’d be speaking to the vice president of the United States.”

The Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity targeted voters in the town of 20,000 residents with door-to-door visits and a flier campaign, drawing attention to government sending and a $280 million debt.

Lundell said "honesty and integrity" beat out "lies and propaganda.”

Biden hasn't ruled out a 2016 presidential run, and has flirted with Iowa -- a key electoral state -- in recent months. He touted his support for same-sex marriage at Sen. Tom Harkin's (D-Iowa) steak fry fundraiser, and called Iowa state Rep. Brian Meyer (D-Des Moines) last month to congratulate him on his Election Night.

When The Huffington Post asked Meyer at the time why he thought Biden phoned, he said, "Well it is Iowa." He added, "I supported him in the 2008 caucuses, and I've always liked Joe Biden. I don't know why he called other than to congratulate me and wish me well."

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