Clinton, facing a second chance at the Democratic nomination, stood before voters in the state that seven years ago handed her a bruising defeat and delivered a resounding speech on the stakes of the presidential election. Accompanied by her husband Bill and daughter Chelsea, the former secretary of state fashioned herself as a pragmatic progressive with a history of accomplishments to match her soaring rhetoric.

“I hope you will caucus for me. I hope you will fight for me,” Clinton implored. “I will fight for you.”

Hours before Clinton’s final rally, hundreds had already formed a line that wrapped around an entire residential neighborhood. They eventually packed a high school gymnasium, bustling with excitement echoed through their frequent chants of “Hillary! Hillary!” and “I believe she will win.”

The positive mood has traveled with Clinton in her final stretch across Iowa, the state that on Monday will begin the first nominating contest of the 2016 race. Although Clinton remains locked in a competitive battle with Sanders, she holds a slight advantage here over the senator from Vermont.



The crowd cheered her frequently, but reserved its most thunderous reception for when Clinton ticked through priorities that included defending Planned Parenthood and marriage equality, protecting voting rights, and pushing for criminal justice reform and gun control.

“I’m a better candidate,” she told them, “and, thanks to you, I’ll be a better president.”