BOONE — With just a week to go before the Iowa Caucuses, Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg pitched his healthcare plan and what he described as his fresh approach to politics to about 200 people Monday at the Boone County Fairgrounds.

The former South Bend, Ind., mayor is among the top tier of candidates heading into the Feb. 3 caucuses, but trails front-runners former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders.

“I think we’re all ready for that day where Donald Trump leaves the white house,” Buttigieg said. “And that’s going to be a very challenging day. Our families are going to be so exhausted and torn up about politics.”

“We’re really going to need a president who will be able to bring us all together,” Buttigieg said. “And we’re going to need to get started right away.”

According to registered Democrat Brian Ahrens, Buttigieg has his vote without a doubt.

“I’m voting for Pete because I like that he’s young and fresh,” Ahrens said. “No offense to the older candidates, but I believe he (Buttigieg) offers a fresh, new perspective that we need in this country.”

That “fresh” perspective was something Buttigieg referenced in his talk Monday afternoon.

“I offer a style that is different than what is already in the White House now,” he said. “Imagine turning on the news and having your blood pressure go down instead of going up as it does with this current administration.”

Another attendee took the microphone and posed a question in regard to a proposed healthcare plan called “Medicare for All Who Want it”.

As the name states, it gives those who would opt for an affordable public healthcare alternative.

This new healthcare system that Buttigieg promises poses a different twist on health coverage than that of his Democratic opponents.

Under Buttigieg’s plan, someone who would opt in would never pay more than 8 percent of their total income with a maximum of $250 monthly payment.

“This way we make sure everybody is ensured and we avoid tragedy before it happens,” Buttigieg said. “We want to make sure it’s comprehensive, affordable and easily obtainable.”

During a tense moment at Fox News’ town hall Sunday night, Buttigieg refused to say whether he would be open to language in the democratic platform that would be more inclusive on pro-life members of the party.

A moment that drew a lot of attention and even provoked a tweet following the event that read, “The constitutional right to reproductive freedom is still under systemic attack,” Buttigieg said.

It wasn’t until a woman in the crowd took the microphone and spoke about her fear for the future of her 13-year-old daughter and women in America.

“What we see the president doing is eroding female rights,” she said.

Buttigieg said concrete action is needed to close gaps in the disparity between women and men, whether it be discrimination in the workplace, reproductive rights or the gap in pay.

“Wherever you believe the line outta be drawn, we as a country should be able to support who gets to draw them and that should be women,” Buttigieg said.

Jesse Howard, a registered Democrat said he will be caucusing for Buttigieg on Feb. 3.

After hearing from all the top seven candidates, his vote was torn between Biden and Buttigieg, until now.

“Pete is the absolute best when you’re looking at how confident he is with his answers,” Howard said. “How much thought he puts into his answers, not just throwing money as his problems. He asks himself how do we get the right people in there to solve the problem at the root.”

Buttigieg is scheduled to visit Ames on Wednesday with an event scheduled for noon at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center.