(Radio Iowa) — Handshakes and public gatherings are not an option for politicians in the age of Covid-19 — so the candidates campaigning for support in Iowa’s June 2nd primaries are trying to make digital connections. J.D. Scholten is the only Democrat running for congress in Iowa’s 4th congressional district. “We’re having to adapt like everybody else and so campaigning means doing interviews and townhalls online,” Scholten said recently during a Facebook live event.

Southwest Iowa Democrats organized an online forum Sunday afternoon with all five of the Democrats who are running for the U.S. Senate. Joey Norris, chairman of Montgomery County Democrats, nudged the crowd watching online.  “All right,” Norris said. “Everybody give a nice, silent, virtual hand clap.” On Sunday evening, the five Republicans running in Iowa’s fourth congressional district participated in a virtual forum hosted by Crawford County Republicans.

Gwen Ecklund of the Crawford County Republican Women says plans for the event were changed because of the pandemic. “So tonight’s panel are all safely participating in their homes or offices, communicating via Zoom,” Ecklund said. The event was broadcast live on K-D-S-N radio and about 120 people watched it live online.