Don’t Stand Between Iowans And Ranch Dressing, Gillibrand Learns

IOWA CITY, IA — New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand got a clear message this week while hunting for votes in Iowa, home to the first-in-the-nation test of presidential strength: Don’t get between Iowans and their beloved ranch dressing.

Gillibrand was speaking Monday to a packed house at The Airliner, a popular Iowa City bar and restaurant, when a customer rushed past her in pursuit not of the senator’s positions on hot button issues like immigration and gun reform, but the condiment.

“Sorry, I’m just trying to get some ranch,” 22-year-old Hanna Kinney said as she squeezed past Gillibrand. Kinney was leading a Bible study group on the second floor, but — oh, the humanity! — the server didn’t bring any ranch dressing.

The moment was captured on CNN video, and Kinney since has become the darling of the Twittersphere. She even changed her name on Twitter to “Hanna Kinney (Ranch Girl),” and The Airliner gave her a year’s supply of ranch dressing and a T-shirt.

“Two important things I know about Iowa: The caucus-goers are engaged and wonderful, and never get between a Midwesterner and their ranch,” she tweeted. “Pizza’s on me during the next trip to Iowa City, @kinney0116!”

“I love it and sometimes they bring it up to us and sometimes they don’t,” Kinney told the magazine. “It’s one of those restaurants that make it homemade, which is very common in Iowa, to be honest. I was going down there to grab it — it’s not just me, a few of my other friends in Bible study enjoy the ranch. ...”

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When she saw the crowd of potential caucus-goers, reporters and people who just enjoy the spectacle every four years gathered around Gillibrand, Kinney decided “I might as well go all the way,” she told the Des Moines Register.

She’s taking some ribbing on Twitter over her love of often maligned ranch dressing, she figures the haters are using the kind that comes in a bottle, not the homemade dressing The Airliner serves.

“All of these people have not had a good ranch,” she told the Register.

Here's the video that caused all the stir:

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