Martin O'Malley headlined "Fall Friend-Raiser" for Des Moines County Democrats.
'No other Democratic candidate embraces retail politics in Iowa quite like Martin O’Malley.
At the Des Moines County Democrats’ Fall Friend-Raiser event at the Port of Burlington Saturday afternoon, the former Maryland governor and current presidential hopeful helped himself to a plate of pulled pork and potato casserole at the Des Moines County Democratic Party’s fall fundraiser. While listening to other speakers take the podium, O’Malley sat down at a picnic table to eat and mingle with fellow attendees.
Despite a full day of events — he was due in Wapello and Cedar Rapids following the Burlington appearance — O’Malley seemed in no hurry to rush, shaking hands and engaging in conversations with caucusgoers.
“I am campaigning the Iowa way,” O’Malley said. “I believe that the only way that a person actually outcomes a candidacy of substance is to go search for it — to jump up on the chair, to put your ideas out there and ask the people of Iowa what they think.”
According to the Real Clear Politics average of Iowa polls, O’Malley resides at a distant third place with 4.6 percent of the vote among likely Democratic caucusgoers. His highest poll numbers come from Public Policy Polling, where he claims 7 percent of the vote.
Despite low name recognition and a slow climb in the polls, O’Malley remains optimistic about his chances to win the Hawkeye State in the February caucuses.
“There’s usually two tickets out of Iowa. One of them goes to the candidate that beats expectations, and with only three of us in this race, there’s only one who can still beat expectations,” O’Malley joked.
In Burlington, O’Malley highlighted three main issues he believes America needs to focus on in order to take positive steps forward: “common sense” wage policies, generating a healthy economy that can give back to its citizens and recognizing climate change as “the great challenge of our time.
“The stronger we make our country, the more our country can give back to us and to our children and to our grandkids,” he said. “Great nations don’t build up wealth by locking cash in the closet. We do it by investing in our country’s infrastructure, investing in research and development and by investing in the most valuable resource that any nation has — and that is the great power of our people.”
The O’Malley brand trumpets the notion he is the best candidate to lead the Democratic Party into a new era of prosperity.
“I think that the differences are going to become very striking, especially in the next debate,” O’Malley said. “Only one of the three of us has actually been an executive — has gotten things done, counted the votes, pulled together the votes to accomplish progressive things. I have a new perspective. I’m not bogged down in the old divisive ideological battles of the past and unlike Secretary Clinton, I don’t believe that all Republicans are our enemy.”
On foreign policy, he said the U.S. accomplishes the most when working with other countries instead of going it alone, particularly when it comes to a strategy against the Islamic State in the Middle East.
“You have to contain, you have to degrade and you have to be in it for the long haul with other nations and form the coalitions,” O’Malley said.
“We always work best in the world when we work with other nations not when we go it alone. And particularly in that region of the world, we should learn the lesson that, more often than not, American boots on the ground have the opposite effect than that which we would hope for. For the here and now, I think it’s really imperative that we get all parties to the table for a comprehensive political solution.”
Rob Hubler of Fairfield said after evaluating the field of candidates, he is committed to voting for O’Malley in the caucuses.
“I am a believer that we need new leadership, and O’Malley represents that new leadership,” Hubler said. “He’s a progressive that has put his words into action and he’s done in his state the kinds of things that I think need to be done here in the United States.”
Sallee Garst Haerr of Fairfield said she is “definitely caucusing for O’Malley.
“He represents a new generation of leadership. That’s No. 1,” Garst Haerr said. “He is a proven executive leader in his state. He’s done some really great things and represents really great progressive values. He has a proven track record in things that I care about ... and I do think he speaks from the heart.”
About 60 people came to the Port for Saturday’s event to support the Democratic Party and hear from multiple speakers.'
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