One of the many candidates for governor of Iowa is a doctor and former state chair of the democratic party. After filing for the June primary ballot last week, Andy McGuire plans to visit all 99 counties in the state.
To take back the state from republicans, she believes the democratic party must not focus on social issues.
"We have to welcome people with the general values of inclusiveness, of trying to make sure very Iowan can be successful, trying to make sure very Iowan can have health care, and trying to make sure that public education is a focus. Those are the things I think that are our basic message, and from there we're going to have people who think one way or another and I think that's good - it's a big tent party."
Instead of a revenue problem, McGuire believes the state has a priority problem - giving out too many tax credits and not spending enough on education and health care.
She also opposes the big tax cuts republicans are promising.
"If we take things out of health care, if we don't have so much in Medicaid and it's not running as well - people say ' well I'm not on Medicaid, that won't affect me.' No, it affects everyone because those people will still get care and all of us will make up the difference."
And cutting state spending on higher education will mean students and their families will have to pay higher tuition and take out bigger loans.
As democratic state party chair, McGuire says she learned a lot from visiting every Iowa county, and she plans to tour the state again, learning from local residents what their priorities are and building support for the June primary.
