(Radio Iowa) – Three Democrats running in Iowa’s second congressional District are promising to address the high cost of living Iowans are facing and make sure they have access to health care. State Representative Lindsay James of Dubuque; Kathy Dolter, retired Army nurse and pastor Clint Twedt Ball, a former non-profit executive, spoke at the forum in Manchester yesterday (Sunday). James, who is also a Presbyterian minister, says Iowans are being hurt by moral failures in Washington.

“People are making impossible choices in our state because of their economic realities, and they are doing so in the wealthiest country in the world,” James said, “and I believe that all of us in this room will agree that that is not right.” Twedt-Ball says Democrats will have to appeal to the rising numbers of independents to win. “There is just way too much money in politics,” Twedt-Ball said, “and we have to do everything we can to move that out of politics so that we can have a relationship with voters that they see as authentic and real.”

Dolter says congress should protect union rights and the federal government should require employers to provide pensions or 401k plans. Two other Democrats who have announced they’re running in the second congressional district did not attend the forum, which was hosted by Delaware County Democrats. Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who currently represents the second district, is running for the U-S Senate.