The 13 foundations include the Hoover Presidential Foundation in West Branch Iowa, birthplace of the 31st president Herbert Hoover.
Foundation President and CEO Jerry Fleagle says the 13 represent Republican and Democratic presidents, from Hoover to Barack Obama. And they wanted to urge Americans to respect democratic institutions.
“We always go back to what would Herbert Hoover do, and I think Herbert Hoover would encourage discussion and debate, but also in a civil manner on that. So we’re trying to emulate that and we want to take a position and encourage all candidates to do that, if possible.”
Fleagle says their goal is to urge all candidates, for president and other offices, to run positive campaigns, through the midterm elections in the fall of next year.