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CEDAR RAPIDS — Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley says he “met a lot of good people” while campaigning in Iowa ahead of the state’s 2016 first-in-the-nation precinct caucuses.

One of those Iowans he met was a Democratic legislative candidate from Des Moines — Nate Boulton. Now he’s coming back to Iowa to endorse the freshman senator for governor.

“I think Nate is an outstanding candidate for you all,” O’Malley said about Boulton, who faces six other Democrats in the race for the 2018 gubernatorial nomination.

O’Malley, who is convinced that if Democrats are going to win control of the White House and Congress, they first need to regain power in the states, will be in Iowa this week to endorse Boulton at a Des Moines fundraiser at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Saint’s Pub and Patio in Des Moines. He’s also doing fundraisers with Senate Democratic incumbents in Davenport, Maquoketa and North Liberty.

O’Malley sees Boulton as someone who understands the two sides of Iowa — the small towns and rural areas, as well as larger urban centers that are home to major industrial bases.