“You control the future of the country,” said Yang, who drew applause when he said, “The opposite of Donald Trump is an Asian man who likes math.”

Yang answered questions, then stuck around for a session during which he posed for photos and gave away copies of his new book, “The War on Normal People: The Truth about America's Disappearing Jobs and Why Universal Basic Income Is Our Future."

Rob Ogden, of Orion, Ill., agreed with Yang's vision. “We don’t need to go left or right in the next election. We need to go forward,” Ogden said.

Ogden, who works in aerospace manufacturing, said he heard about Yang on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Yang, he said, “has a plan, rather than talking points.”

Julie Duerst, of Sterling, Ill., said she learned about Yang mostly on Facebook and the internet. “He really seems to care about the needs of the lower- and middle-class people,” she said. “I feel like he’s looking out for the little guy.”

Ed Brown, of Clinton, finds Yang’s ideas similar to those of Bernie Sanders. Brown is disgruntled with the Iowa Democratic party, he said, because in the last election, “They put money toward candidates running unopposed.”