Amy Klobuchar touts Midwest values, 'heartland economics' in Iowa campaign debut

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar in her first Iowa visits said her political track record, Midwest values and "grit" make her the best 2020 Democratic presidential candidate.

Klobuchar's Iowa debut kicked off Saturday at a Mason City bar, and continued Sunday at a Knoxville brewery and an Albia church following an overnight snowstorm. To packed rooms of mostly undecided Iowa voters, the senator emphasized her willingness to work with both sides.

"In my three elections for the U.S. Senate, I didn't just win in the urban areas, I didn't just win in the suburbs," said Klobuchar, who announced her bid on Feb. 10. "I won in the rural areas, and I won every single congressional district — including Michelle Bachmann's. And it's because I believe in meeting people where they are."

Klobuchar touted her goals should she become president — including returning to the international climate agreement, a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's Citizens United campaign finance decision, and "taking on pharmaceutical companies" to lower drug prices.

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Her willingness to work with both sides, she said, is evidenced by her record as a lawmaker. She sponsored 92 bills in the 115th Congress, from 2017 to 2018, most of which had Republican and bipartisan support.

Klobuchar said she'd focus largely on the Midwest and specifically Iowa in her run for president. "I like to say that I can see Iowa from my front porch," the senator, who has been making political trips to Iowa for years, joked.

"I like having someone from the Midwest," said Phyllis Weeks, a 79-year-old Knoxville resident who volunteers for Klobuchar's campaign. "We tend to be forgotten. And I think, if you want to get independents and some Republicans who don't want to vote for Trump, you have to have an agenda and it can't be too far left."

"None of the other candidates, so far, appeal to me," Weeks said at Peace Tree Brewing Company after posing for a photo with Klobuchar. "But Amy does."

Among other policy priorities the senator cited were automatic voter registration for 18-year-olds, universal background checks for guns, universal health care, and fixing aging infrastructure.

“We need someone in the White House who's going to govern, not from chaos, but from opportunity," Klobuchar said. "To me, that means we need to show a little heartland economics. … It is about making sure our country works for everyone, not just for a few."

Other Democrats looking at a 2020 run, including Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, have a similar message. Klobuchar even told an Iowa crowd the country should "reward and respect the dignity of work," a phrase Brown used last month while mulling a presidential bid.

Midwesterners aren't the only challenge Klobuchar will have to overcome in the crowded race. Just before announcing her presidential run, reports of staff mistreatment in her Senate office surfaced: One aide was accidentally hit with a binder thrown by Klobuchar, according to Buzzfeed News.

Tracy Smith, a Clear Lake Democrat, said Saturday that she hadn't settled on a favorite candidate. She likes Klobuchar, but said her "baggage" could be a concern in the coming months.

“I’ve had to fire people before, and I bet they’d not say nice things, either,” Smith said. "But if it was a man — a male politician — people would say 'He’s a strong leader.' But with her, 'She’s mean. She's bossy.'"

Scott Molloy, a 20-year-old biochemistry and computer science student at Drake University, said the accusations are "troubling," but don’t disqualify her from potentially earning his vote. Still open to several candidates, he thinks Klobuchar's willingness to compromise is attractive.

"I don't want to live in a fallout of the Trump presidency forever," Molloy said. "I do want a pragmatist. I'd rather see progress done than perfection missed."

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Former Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Andy McGuire was on hand to help shepherd Klobuchar across the state. McGuire said that, right now, she’s helping Klobuchar in an unofficial capacity, but is “110 percent behind her.”

“I think she’s the one who understands the issues — especially issues in the Midwest that can carry rural Iowa that can win this election and get us back on a path,” McGuire said. “I just think that so strongly. I’ve known her for a while. I’ve heard her for a while. I’ve watched what she does. She gets things done.”

Chris Schrock, a Mason City resident, brought his two daughters to the Saturday event because they’re interested in politics and “to maybe meet a future president of the United States.” Originally from Minnesota, Schrock said he’s been a Klobuchar fan for years but thinks it could be hard for her to stand out in a crowded field.

“I think she’s got the heart and the drive to get things done,” Schrock said. “If she can get the backing, I really think she could get in.”

Speaking to press at the Knoxville brewery, Klobuchar acknowledged fundraising could be an obstacle.

"I know I'm going to have less money than some of the other candidates, but I was pretty proud that, in the first 48 hours, we raised a million dollars online," she said.

Earning support in states like Iowa is key to Klobuchar's plan: Before coming to Iowa, she gave a speech in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

"What better place to start than where grassroots politics start? And that is in the Midwest," she said. "We are just going to take that spirit of democracy and participation and bring it out to the rest of the country. That is how we win."

Register reporter Brianne Pfannenstiel contributed reporting.