Presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg packs Scheman Buidling, drawing 900 people to his campaign rally in Ames. Photo by David Mullen/The Ames Tribune. ▲ South Bend, Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic candidate Pete BButtigieg packed the Scheman Center on Wednesday, drawing 900 people to his campaign rally in Ames. Photo by David Mullen/Ames Tribune. ▲ South Bend, Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg participated in a roundtable discussion where he detailed his plan to address rising prescription drug costs. Photo by David Mullen/Ames Tribune. ▲

Before his campaign rally inside the Scheman Building Wednesday evening, 2020 Democratic candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg held a roundtable discussion with health providers and legislators detailing his drug pricing policy plan that vows to address rising cost of prescription drugs and hold drug companies accountable for steep price negotiation for patients.

The South Bend, Ind., mayor, fresh off what many critics are championing a strong debate performance in Ohio, detailed his Affordable Medicine for All plan that seeks to cut out-of-pocket expenses for seniors on Medicare by 50 percent in his first term, if elected.

At the root of his healthcare plans to address rising prescription drug costs is help Americans make a decision on healthcare that is "medically right" rather than "financially right."

His also proposed to implement a cap on out-of-pocket spending for prescription drugs at just under $250 per month.

"I believe I'm the first to propose that the out-of-pocket cap be monthly, because most of us don't experience the economy on a yearly basis, we experience it one month at a time," Buttigieg said.

Other tenants of his policy would penalize pharmaceutical companies that imposing "outrageous" price increases and holding companies responsible for creating an environment of price gouging.

"My plan isn't about going to war with drug companies, although, some of them seem to ready to go to war against this plan because of what it might mean for some of their profits," Buttigieg said.

After confronting fellow presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren on her Medicare plan during Tuesday's debate, implying that she hadn't been honest about possible tax increases for middle class families, Buttigieg ensured a forum panelist in Ames that neither his prescription drug plan nor his health care plan would require a tax increase, stating that "the middle class can't afford more taxes."

To reporters after his rally, Buttigieg said that it makes sense for Democratic nominee to have the support of the American people on the signature issue of the debate — healthcare. In his eyes, it's a "Medicare for All Who Want It" plan.

At his rally, making a grand entrance to Panic! At the Disco's "High Hopes," the veteran of the war in Afghanistan was greeted by a high-capacity crowd of roughly 900, according to ISU officials, with a bulk of attendees sequestered in overflow locations in the Scheman Building.

Echoing a sentiment he shared at the roundtable, Buttigieg said that all his proposed policies will be paid for in a way that does not add to the federal deficit.

One of the event-goers, who had watched the candidate from the balcony was impressed with the turnout - as well as the mayor, himself.

"Mayor Pete is a star. He had people in the upper-deck seating clapping and cheering on all his policies," said Jordan Ramirez. "He had people in the upper-deck seating clapping and cheering on all his policies. He gets it, you know?"

With a crowd of that magnitude, the self-professed "sleep-deprived" Buttigieg fielded an array of questions from the crowd, including rural participation climate change solutions — promising to include rural and agricultural voices and experts into the climate change discussions.

"The time has come for us to let rural America in, instead of treating them as the problem - we are recruiting them to be a part of the solution to climate change," said Buttigieg, who drew a loud crowd response for his answer. "Climate has to be a national project. it's too important to treat it as a partisan issue."

An openly gay man, married to his husband Chasten, Buttigieg also responded to criticism that America isn't ready for "a gay president," touting that his qualifications transcends his personal profile."

"I think the American people want to know how my presidency will best serve them and how it compares to others running," said Buttigieg. "If that can work in my little corner of Indiana, I think it can work coast-to-coast.

On gun control, Buttigieg said that banning assault rifles and high-capacity magazines would be priorities of his presidency. On Tuesday, he clashed with fellow candidate Beto O'Rourke over the former Texas representatives push for mandatory AR-15 and AK-47 weapon buyback proposals to limit the number of firearms on the streets.

"I don't need lessons from you on courage, political or personal," Buttigieg said to O'Rourke on Tuesday, in response to comments O'Rourke made about the South Bend Mayor, who insisted that O'Rourke's plan was a "shiny object" to distract from Trump.

Riannon Gaspard, a mother of two from Des Moines, said that Buttigieg should be seen as an authority on gun control.

"He was a combat veteran, who witnessed first-hand the power of assault rifles and military grade weapons," said Gaspard. "He knows they have no place in our schools, our communities, our streets and our communities."

Pre-debate polls estimate Buttigieg is polling 9 percent nationally, however, as Iowa State senior Kelly Harrington said, "Based on what I saw last night and tonight; I think he's going to shoot up the polls, soon."