O’Malley touts gubernatorial achievements during Mason City stop

MASON CITY - Standing atop a chair as he addressed 50 people at the Historic Park Inn Sunday night, Democratic presidential hopeful Martin O'Malley urged Iowans to build upon a record of advancement.

'I truly believe we are standing on a threshold of new American progress,” the former Maryland governor said during his first visit to Mason City, part of the 'O'Malley Unplugged: New Leadership Tour.”

As O'Malley touted some of his achievements as governor - setting a living wage, passing marriage equality and increasing school funding - the audience peppered him with applause.

In the process he took stabs at two prominent Republicans, Donald Trump, whom O'Malley referred to as a 'carnival barker who slams doors in the faces of refugees,” and Gov. Terry Branstad, whom O'Malley said has 'gutted public education” in Iowa.

In his half-hour speech, O'Malley outlined a number of strategic goals before taking questions.

His goals included:

' Establishing new foreign policy and national security strategies.

' Raising minimum wage above the poverty line.

' Paying overtime for overtime work.

' Making it easier for workers to join labor unions.

' Paying women equally.

' Expanding Social Security.

' Providing comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship.

' Offering college as a debt-free option.

' Creating a 100 percent clean electric grid by 2050, establishing 5 million new jobs in the process.

Although national polls show O'Malley in single digits, he said he believes Iowans can 'upset the apple cart” on caucus night.

'I like a tough fight,” he said. 'It's how a hidden God says we are fighting for something worth saving.”

Andrew Morse, a sophomore at Newman Catholic High School in Mason City, and Jonas Wahle, a German national who has studied at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, attended the event as volunteers.

Wahle said he's enjoyed being in Iowa during the caucus season, which has allowed him to see the majority of candidates from both parties.

He said he supports O'Malley because of his record in Maryland and his plans for the United States.

'He's pretty cool,” Wahle said. 'He's a progressive politician.”

O'Malley also stopped in Iowa Falls and Hampton on Sunday.