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SIOUX CITY | Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley on Sunday stressed the importance of the upcoming Iowa caucuses and combating what he called fascist and racist statements made by Republican candidate Donald Trump.

O’Malley, the former Maryland governor who trails behind frontrunner Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, spoke to a crowd of about 50 on Sunday at the Mary Treglia Community House at 900 Jennings St.

It was O’Malley’s first stop of the day in western Iowa, with Council Bluffs and Des Moines next on the trail as the days before the Feb. 1 Iowa contest dwindle. On Saturday, O'Malley made stops in Des Moines, Atlantic, Storm Lake and Le Mars.

After thanking Iowans for their role in the presidential election, O'Malley attacked Trump over his call for a "shutdown" of Muslim immigrants being allowed into the United States. O'Malley also denounced Trump's idea of requiring Muslims already in the U.S. to carry special identification.

“I do not believe in scapegoating others, like Trump says,” O’Malley said. “When the top Republican candidate can make fascist, racist comments like that, it shows how strange this election has become.”