By: Jessica Cihacek
jcihacek@kcautv.com
Democratic candidate for Iowa's newly drawn, 4th Congressional District, Christie Vilsack, brought the heat, defending her case right out of the gate.
Vilsack said, "I don't think many people could tell you where Gillet Grove is or Duncombe, or Fenton, or Early. Those are all communities familiar to me because I've visited over 500 libraries, probably as many schools and talked about economic development all over this state. So I think I could represent any district in Iowa."
US Representative Steve King brought a lot of props.
King, as he showed these items, said, "This little hand–tooled cowboy boot was handed to me by a family we put back together legally. I carry a constitution with me in my jacket pocket everyday I've got a jacket."
The crowd? They didn't show up empty–handed either. They brought a couple of questions, themselves.
One of them, coming from a college student. "How would the candidates help students afford higher education."
Both Vilsack and Representative King agreed on the importance of Pell Grants.
But when it came to healthcare, they both went their separate ways.
Vilsack, supporting President Obama's Affordable Healthcare Act. Representative King, wanting to repeal it.
And some topics that have been in recent news, like the new restrictions on school lunches? Both candidates see them differently.
King said, "They put every school student on a diet in this country and it's just wrong."
Vilsack said, "Obesity is a national health issue in this country and we need to take care of it."
Same with gun control, a popular issue among many, with the recent shootings our country has seen.
Vilsack said, "We need to have a conversation about assault rifles and whether you can just go online and get access to all the ammunition you want. That's a conversation we need to have."
And King said, "A number of people in my family own them. I do. You are not going to take my AR away from me, just by defining it as an assault weapon. "
And when it came time to make their final pitch to the hundreds of Iowans watching, both of them brought very passionate remarks, trying to convince voters that they're ready and willing to lead Iowa's new 4th, Congressional District.
