O'MALLEY RALLY: Iowans urged to caucus for former Maryland governor. [View all]

'It was this past October when Johnston, Iowa resident Greg Hauenstein decided former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley was his Democratic candidate of choice.

“I was impressed with (O’Malley’s) executive experience and as governor, he had to work with the legislature,” Hauenstein said. “Someone who becomes president will have to be able to compromise and work with Congress.”

Hauenstein and his friend, Nathan Erickson, both plan to caucus for O’Malley, having met the candidate and watched him campaign across the state.

Erickson, meanwhile, offered some specifics as to why O’Malley had a certain appeal.

“His positions on education are important to me,” Erickson said, noting O’Malley’s success in the area of education during his tenure as Maryland governor.

The 26-year-old added that O’Malley’s positions on immigration also appealed to him.

“There’s just a lot of divisive talk (about immigrants) and I really think we shouldn’t be marginalizing people that way,” Erickson said. “(O’Malley) is a great uniter. I think he is the sort of leader who can bring both sides together.

Pressed further about O’Malley’s appeal, Hauenstein said his candidate of choice is also pushing hard for serious measures taken to tackle climate change. Hauenstein said the recent Zika virus crisis is directly related to climate change and the explosion of tropical mosquitoes.

Interestingly, Hauenstein said he moved from upstate New York to Iowa in 2007 when he came to work for Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign. He ended up staying and marrying an Iowan. Because of his wife’s chronic pain issues, “the Affordable Care Act literally saved us.”

And now, in O’Malley’s downtown Des Moines campaign headquarters, Hauenstein and Erickson were crowded into the small space where campaign signs and other paraphernalia were readily available, as was pizza for all of the volunteers.

“Gov. O’Malley has a pragmatic outlook,” Erickson noted later. “He exudes confidence and tranquility.”

Before the candidate showed up, Red Dirt Report talked to Peter O’Malley, the candidate’s brother, who just flew into Des Moines from his home in Baltimore.

Peter O’Malley said that he came out just a few days before the caucuses to help share with potential caucus-goers as to why they should caucus for his brother. He said that
about half were undecided” as they canvassed in four different precincts.

“Right now, we are working to get a bunch of people canvassing for Martin,” he said.

Soon enough, Martin O’Malley enters the room and is greeted by smiles and cheers by his small, but devoted following.

While O’Malley may seem a bit unpolished in a televised debate, there is a genuine feeling of warmth from him, at least in this room full of O’Malley supporters.

After embracing several volunteers, O’Malley is handed a phone and loudly speaks into the receiver so all can hear.

“Hello. Is this Gary McPherson? Hello Gary I’m really hoping you’ll caucus for me on Monday,” he says, his voice full of enthusiasm.

Moments later, O’Malley is talking to a mother and her young daughter about climate change and tells them that the next president should work towards a “clean, green energy future.”'

http://www.reddirtreport.com/election-central/omalley-rally-iowans-urged-caucus-former-maryland-governor