Last night, Democratic and Republican presidential candidates asked the voters of Iowa to kick off their bids to become the next president of the United States. Hats off to United Fresh Board member Brendan Comito, Capital City Fruit Co., for his work helping launch Sen. Barack Obama to victory in Iowa’s 70th Precinct. Brendan’s work was featured this morning in a front page Washington Post article about the Obama upset in Iowa, as well as on CNN. “While I can’t say that everyone in our industry is ready to hop on the Obama bandwagon just yet, we congratulate Brendan on his leadership in the caucuses,” said United President Tom Stenzel. “Of course, to many of us, Brendan’s strong political efforts come as no surprise as he and his family were awarded United Fresh’s first Produce Industry Advocate of the Year award in 2002 for their tireless efforts to share the views of the fruit and vegetable industry with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. And, coincidentally, this year’s winner of the Advocate Award Jim Allen, New York Apple Association, is rumored to be on his way to New Hampshire campaigning for a fellow New Yorker,” Tom said. “No matter who you support in the political arena, the dedication of industry leaders like Brendan and Jim will serve our cause well in the years ahead,” he said.