In Des Moines, Sen. Amy Klobuchar says she's an underdog with a grassroots path to the top

Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar outlined her path to her party's nomination at a Des Moines union hall Thursday night, calling herself an underdog with a grassroots campaign.

The Minnesota senator said she can beat President Donald Trump by winning swing states, pointing to Republican counties she won in her 2018 re-election as evidence. Trump lost Minnesota by a margin of only 1.5 points in the 2016 election but Klobuchar won it with 60 percent of the vote in 2018.

Her commitment to rural America is another part of her pitch, she said, noting her seat on the agriculture committee and role in the most recent farm bill. She promised to connect every rural home to broadband internet by 2022 should she become president.

Klobuchar acknowledged it will be a challenge to rise to the top of a crowded Democratic field. 

"I am an underdog, because I think I'm at number six or seven — but I'm moving up, which is a good place to be," Klobuchar told reporters after a speech at the Ankeny Area Democrats winter banquet.

It was the first time the annual event was sold out, said acting chair Mary McAdams. About 225 people purchased $30 tickets to the fundraiser at the United Auto Workers Local 450, according to the group.

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Klobuchar repeated the goals she first pitched to Iowa voters last weekend, including a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's Citizens United campaign finance decision, lowering prescription drug prices, automatic voter registration for 18-year-olds, and fixing aging infrastructure.

Explaining her support for universal health care, Klobuchar said she wants to expand Medicare and Medicaid. At a CNN town hall event in New Hampshire on Monday night, she said that single-payer health care, known as "Medicare-for-all," isn't feasible yet. 

"I want to get action now," she said Monday.

Klobuchar is building out her campaign staff in Iowa, announcing two new hires on Thursday. Former Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Andy McGuire is her local campaign chair. Lauren Dillon, who previously worked for the Democratic National Committee, is the campaign's Iowa state director. 

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Colin Scanes, a 71-year-old former lobbyist, said he is undecided but likes Klobuchar's effectiveness. Sen. Kamala Harris of California is another one of his early favorites, he said.

"I see a sense of strength in (Klobuchar)," Scanes said. Asked if the Minnesota senator is too moderate to win his vote, he said, "I'm not too worried by that, but neither do I think it's a big positive. It's part of the package."

Scanes, a former Republican who said he left the party because of Trump, said he was "very impressed" by Klobuchar's snowy campaign announcement. 

"It was a wonderful image of a strong woman," Scanes said. "And unexpectedly, she has a sense of humor." 

Kathy Avey, a 65-year-old volunteer, is undecided. The most important quality in a 2020 candidate, she said, is the ability to beat Trump.

Avey called herself a moderate Democrat. She said, like Klobuchar, she doesn't believe in free four-year college.

At CNN's town hall, Klobuchar said she didn't think free four-year college is realistic because of the growing national debt. She said she'd make it "easier to refinance (student) loans, by extending Pell Grants so it includes more students."

When CNN anchor Don Lemon noted the town hall venue — a college campus — Klobuchar responded, "I know that. But I've got to tell the truth."

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Klobuchar, in Iowa, also addressed allegations that she had mistreated her staff. 

"Am I a tough boss sometimes? Yes. Have I pushed people too hard? Yes. But I have kept expectations for myself that are very high. I've asked my staff to meet those same expectations and ... the big point for me is I want the country to meet high expectations, because we don't have that going now," she said. 

In an growing Democratic field, Klobuchar has acknowledged that fundraising will be an obstacle. The campaign raised $1 million in the 48 hours after her announcement.

After laying out her policy ideas in the union hall past 9 p.m. Thurs, Klobuchar paused.

"To do all this, we need to win," she said. "I don't have as much money. I don't have a political machine."

"But we believe in grassroots politics," she said. "It's the Tom Harkin way." 

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