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Tom Steyer campaigns in Council Bluffs with focus on flooding and climate

Posted at 6:43 PM, Jan 21, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-21 19:43:49-05

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa. (KMTV) — 2020 presidential hopeful and billionaire Tom Steyer says he's the candidate for America.

"I am a different person from everybody else, who's running," Steyer said. "I'm an outsider with a 10 year history of taking on corporations and beating them."

He's campaigning through Iowa and touring areas impacted by recent flooding, something he says the current administration is denying.

"Do we have a government that's actually going to understand what those facts mean and therefore prepare for them adequately and protect people," Steyer said. "Yeah that seems to be important."

Not only is Steyer focusing on climate change, but says it's an area where Midwest farmers can help.

"We're gunna have to partner with farmers in order to get a solution to this," Steyer said. "This isn't just stopping emitting green house gases, it's also sequestering carbon. What does that mean? It really mean planting things that take carbon out of the air and into the ground."

Steyer told voters that farmers will in return be paid for their extra work.

With the Iowa caucuses just days out, voters are not just coming from across the river.

Karen and Cliff Lentz traveled from California for a 5-day trip across Iowa to have a more hands on experience with democratic candidates.

"We did come out here to identify, or find those candidates that really spoke to us and we felt like we had to see them in person," Karen Lentz said. "There is something different about actually meeting them and hearing them speaking in an informal setting."

They believe the Democratic Party is ready for 2020, despite the still large pool of candidates.

Royaille Jones, a first time voter, agrees. She believes Steyer can energize the youth to show up at the polls.

"He looks at you and he answers the question and he is not afraid to tell the truth and if it's not exactly what you want, he's not scared of that," Jones said "He's honest and I like that."