Grant Rodgers

grodgers@dmreg.com

The amount of college debt that his family faces is one reason Democratic presidential hopeful Martin O'Malley believes he understands the struggles of middle-class Iowans better than Hillary Clinton does.

The former Maryland governor and longshot candidate often talks on the campaign trail about the debt load — reported by the Washington Post to be $339,200 — that he and his wife, Catherine, took on to put their daughters through four-year East Coast colleges. O'Malley simply responded, "Yes," on Saturday when asked by a journalist whether he's trying to convince Iowans that he identifies more with them than Clinton does.

"I am running with a bigger mountain of college debt than any other presidential candidate in this race," O'Malley said. "So, I understand the concerns of people, I understand the anxieties that moms and dads have when they're splitting up the bills around the kitchen table and trying to figure out how to give their kids a better life. And that's an asset, that's something I bring to this race."

A spokesperson for Clinton's campaign declined to comment on O'Malley's statements. The former first lady and secretary of state, who begins a two-day swing through Iowa on Monday, continues to dwarf O'Malley both nationwide and in Iowa, according to Real Clear Politics polling averages.

A noon stop at the West Des Moines Public Library was the first in a two-day trip through central and western Iowa. O'Malley opened with a 15-minute speech praising President Barack Obama for his signature health care law, the recent Paris climate accord to fight global warming and job growth. O'Malley argued that he'll be a new voice to build on those achievements.

"You can change the arc of our country and move forward new leadership," he said. "There are three of us in this race, and you guys have always demonstrated a penchant for upsetting the apple cart on caucus night. And of the three of us in this race, I'm the only one who can still upset the apple cart."

The longshot Democrat faced a setback on Thursday when news broke that the campaign failed to get the 1,000 valid signatures needed to qualify for the ballot in Ohio, whose residents will go to the primary polls on March 15. O'Malley said Saturday he was "disappointed" and that his campaign will try and compete in the state on a "write-in basis." But he pivoted his remarks back to Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucus.

"In any challenge or campaign, part of it is a battle of attrition, making sure that you don't drop any important balls," he said. "But I think this race is going to be changed here in Iowa. I believe that the outcome of the race is going to be set very early here."

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AT THE EVENT

SETTING: West Des Moines Public Library

CROWD: Around 120 people. The crowd included approximately 20 students from Louisiana State University who were visiting Iowa to see multiple candidates as part of a class they are taking.

REACTION: The crowd interrupted O'Malley several times for applause, including when he called for a plan to end childhood hunger and cut gun deaths.

WHAT'S NEXT: The West Des Moines stop was the first on a two-day trip through central and western Iowa.