March 29, 2024

Vilsack campaigns for Clinton in Newton

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spent about 30 minutes stumping for Hillary Clinton in Newton at one of five events held Monday around central Iowa.

A few dozen people joined the former Iowa Governor at Uncle Nancy’s Coffeehouse & Eatery where he took jabs at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, the Republicans who are standing by him and explained why he feels Iowans should support Clinton.​

After focusing on the high-profile Republicans abandoning their support for Trump, Vilsack made mention of Trump’s running mate Gov. Mike Pence, who will visit Newton on Tuesday. Vilsack linked the Newton visit to a lack of interest from Nebraskans after a fundraiser was nixed by the Nebraska governor.

“The governor of Nebraska says ‘you know Gov. Pence you were supposed to come to my state for a fundraiser, but why don’t you just bypass my state and come here to Newton tomorrow and just don’t go anywhere near my state,’” Vilsack said. “They’re running away from this guy — with good reason.”

Trump’s video scandal was mentioned but wasn’t a highlight of Vilsack’s speech. Vilsack instead focused on Trump’s tax returns and Warren Buffett’s revelation that he’s paid federal taxes for 72 years.

“I guarantee you the people in this room have paid more of a percentage of their income in the past 15 to 20 years in federal income taxes than Donald Trump,” Vilsack said. “I also guarantee you every one of us in this room is more charitable. I know Iowans, I know you give to your communities ... this guy does not.”

In part, he said Clinton’s presidency will assure the advances made since he took his current office in 2009 will not be reversed.

“The unemployment rate has been cut in half, the deficit has been cut in two-thirds. For the first time since 1970 we have seen the highest income growth for middle class families and now 20 million American have health insurance under the Affordable Care Act,” Vilsack said. “So I don’t want to go back to the days of tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulating major industries. I want to move forward — and Hillary has a plan to move us forward.”

Among other things, Vilsack said Clinton will invest in infrastructure, create jobs through clean energy initiatives and raise the federal minimum wage.

“There’s a contrast and a choice here on a stronger economy,” he said. “We need one that supports middle class families.”

He noted several young women in attendance and used the opportunity to again bring up Pence’s Tuesday stop in Newton.

“If you work as hard as I work and you do the same job I do and you get the same results, don’t you think you ought to get the same amount of pay as I get?” Vilsack said. “Mr. Pence is coming to Newton tomorrow, right? Someone should ask him about his vote on equal pay for equal work, because he didn’t vote for that. For some reason he thought that wasn’t a good idea.”

The former governor also took time to convey what he called the great importance of state and local level races.

“I’m deeply concerned about the direction of this state. Dennis (Retired Sen. Dennis Black) and I served together in the state senate, and I think he too is troubled by the direction of our state government,” Vilsack said. “... I want to make sure we understand how important those state legislative races are in terms of providing a check on Gov. Branstad.”​

Among Clinton supporters in attendance was Jerry Jones, of Newton and secretary-treasurer of AFSCME Iowa Council 61. Jones said Vilsack’s visit was a break between knocking doors across Jasper County to help get the word out about Clinton and to urge early voting.

“Hillary is loyal, she remembers, she listens — she knows we’re stronger when we work together,” Jones said. “I’m not a big polls person. Numbers can change quickly — I think it’s going to happen.”

Forrest Rusk, a 91-year-old lifelong Democrat of Newton said he’s been supporting Clinton since Day One.

“I’ve always voted as a Democrat,” Rusk said. “It’s the party that supports the people.”

Contact Abigail Pelzer at 64-792-3121 ext. 6530 or apelzer@newtondailynews.com