DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Los Angeles’ Eric Garcetti, like other Democratic mayors considering the presidential race in 2020, is hoping to show party activists that his experience running a city can preview success on the national scene. He plans to make his debut in Iowa, an early campaign proving ground, today (Friday), talking to union carpenters, seeing representatives from the Asian, Latino and LBGTQ communities and headlining a county party dinner.

Only a handful of presidents ever served as mayors, and they all had won higher offices before reaching the White House. Americans never have elevated a city leader directly to the presidency from city hall, and no sitting mayor has even won a major party’s presidential nomination. That doesn’t seem to deter New York’s Bill De Blasio and New Orleans’ Mitch Landrieu, also mulling 2020 bids. So, too, are Pete Buttigeig of South Bend, Indiana, and Julian Castro, housing secretary in the Obama administration and a former San Antonio mayor.

Democrats hold only half of the governorships they did 25 years ago — being governor is a more reliable stepping stone to the White House — and are locked out of power in Congress. The party’s emerging 2020 class is heavy with mayors, who claim a closer connection to their constituents and greater accountability to them than U.S. senators and representatives have. Only 16 Democrats are governors today, and few are signaling a 2020 campaign is on the horizon. Mayors with national aspirations seem less fazed than their predecessors by the idea that voters are looking for candidates with more national experience. Consider that Donald Trump was a political newcomer before winning in 2016.

Garcetti’s mission in Iowa is to make it clear to activists that his big-city experience can translate onto the national stage. He is the executive of a jurisdiction of roughly 4 million people, about a million more than the state of Iowa, heads a police department of 30,000 and oversees the nation’s busiest seaport. De Blasio, whose city is more than twice the population of Los Angeles, was the guest at a Democratic-leaning activist group’s annual dinner in December. Garcetti and others are also stepping forward on national issues such as immigration, a burning concern for Democrats in Iowa angry with the Republican-controlled Legislature and GOP governor for enacting legislation last week outlawing “sanctuary cities.” That’s a term for jurisdictions that limit local involvement in federal immigration enforcement.

(Updated 10:50-a.m. w/Pott. County charges) — A Council Bluffs man was arrested following a pursuit that began this (Friday) morning near Harlan, and ended near Avoca. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports at around 1:55-a.m.. a Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to stop a vehicle south of Harlan. The vehicle, a 1999 Dodge Ram pickup, driven by 29-year old Andrew Neilsen, failed to stop and a pursuit ensued on the gravel roads near Nishna Bend Park. The vehicle traveled southbound towards Avoca, eventually heading southbound on Highway 59. As the pursuit neared the I-80 interchange at Avoca, a Pottawattamie County deputy joined the pursuit.

Shelby County Sheriff’s SUV damaged in a pursuit this morning (photo from the Shelby Co. S/O’s Facebook page.)

The suspect then attempted to make a turn to get on Interstate 80 eastbound. In doing so, the suspect decelerated suddenly, causing the deputy to strike the vehicle in the rear and disabling the deputy’s vehicle. The suspect continued his attempt to elude law enforcement by reversing down Highway 59 towards Avoca for a short distance, before ending up in the west ditch. He was taken into custody by the Shelby and Pottawattamie County deputies without further incident. Both the deputy and Neilsen were evaluated at the scene by Avoca Fire and Rescue.

Neilsen was then transported to the Pottawattamie County Jail, where he was charged with: Possession/Delivery of Drugs (82.8 grams of Methamphetamine & 11.6 grams of Marijuana); Ongoing Criminal Conduct; Drug Stamp Criminal Penalties; Felony Eluding; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (a meth pipe, scales and baggies); and OWI/1st offense. Authorities seized SIM cards valued, a wallet with a fake ID during their investigation. The property was valued at $100.

Authorities learned during their investigation, that Nielsen was wanted on warrants out of Ida, Oakdale, and Pottawattamie County. Additional charges were pending in Shelby County. The accident was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, and Avoca Fire and Rescue.