The Cass County Democratic Party hosted about 40 Democratic activists from several counties last Saturday (Jan. 2nd). Cass County Party Chair Sherry Toelle said those in attendance heard from keynote speaker and presidential candidate Martin O’Malley, as well as all three Congressional candidates (Desmund Adams, Jim Mowrer, and Mike Sherzan), two of three US Senate candidates (Tom Fiegen and Bob Krause) and Scott Heldt, candidate for the Iowa House District #20.

Candidates in photo: Desmund Adams, Tom Fiegen, Bob Krause, Martin O’Malley, Mike Sherzan, and Scott Heldt. Not included in the photo—Jim Mowrer. (Photo submitted by Sherry Toelle)

The event was a fundraiser for the Cass County Democrats with all monies collected going to the local party to offset expenses for the 2016 caucus and election season, including opening of the Party’s Headquarters in Atlantic later this year.

Each candidate outlined their policy positions, ranging from education to retirement security to infrastructure to water quality and to climate change. Governor Martin O’Malley was the keynote speaker for the event, outlining his goals of debt-free college, increasing the minimum wage, equal pay for equal work, stopping hunger in the United States, reducing the number of gun-related injuries and deaths, and developing a 100% clean electric grid by 2050.