(Photos by Randy M. Cauthron) Democratic Fifth District Congressional candidate Rob Hubler takes a few minutes to make the rounds at Sunday's Clay County Democrat Steak Fry at Oneota Park in Spencer. [Order this photo]

Clay County Democrats gathered at the Oneota Park shelter house Sunday evening for their annual fundraising steak fry.

The meeting, coming just a day after Barack Obama named Sen. Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate via a much hyped text message to supporters, had County chairman Bob Whittenburg's stressing organization to his fellow Democrats.

"This is going to be an organization election. It's going to be a precinct-by-precinct, organize to win. Talk to our neighbors, our friends, our family about what's important to them…This is going to be grass roots politics and that's what's going to win this election."

Clay County Democratic Chair Bob Whittenburg visits with Clay County Supervisor candidates H Schar and Tim Kehoe during a social hour at the party's county steak fry fundraiser. [Order this photo]

The event offered an opportunity for candidates facing election opportunities this fall to address the Clay County voter base.

"It's to get active Democrats together and talk to candidates and kick off the campaign season," Whittenburg said of the fundraiser.

Clay County Supervisor Democratic candidates Tim Kehoe and H Schar spoke to those gathered as did Fifth District U.S. Congressional candidate, Rob Hubler who is challenging incumbent Rep. Steve King (R-Kiron).

Iowa Senate President Jack Kibbie (D-Emmetsburg) also addressed the group.

"I used to represent Clay County for a number of years, I've got a lot of friends here," said Kibbie. "This is their annual feed. They want to raise a little money to help the local candidates as well as the state and legislative candidates."

"For us it's like preaching to the choir," Schar said. "We're all friends. We're all Democrats. These kinds of events are very important for us as candidates. The county steak fry is like a kick off to the political season. We get our constituency charged up and we can get our message out to the people who are going to be working for us and working with us."

Kehoe agreed. "It starts here, letting people know who their candidates are - why we're running and what we're running for. As they are talking to their friends and family, their coworkers, they can talk to them with knowledge."

Hubler arrived at the event following the dinner, after attending a similar event in Dickinson County. He used the opportunity to share his thoughts about the Fifth District race. Hubler said that after two other candidates have failed in previous races, now is the time to defeat King.

"There are several reasons for it, the most prevalent reason I'm hearing from people is how unhappy they are with what's going on in government right now. All the yelling and screaming and accusing each other. The inability to get any kind of really substantive policies on energy or policies on immigration. People are really tired of that."

Hubler pointed to the long running, "Right Way, Wrong Way Poll.

"Eighty percent of the people right do not think federal government is going in the right direction. People are just looking for a change."

Hubler suggested that King has never faced a real challenge. "As long as the incumbent has been there, he hasn't been challenged. His first election was elected by convention. After that, nobody has mustered a full time campaign that could raise a lot of money. We've been out here for 18 months raising money, listening to people, going around talking to people. People are ready for a change. They are looking for a change. They are looking for an alternative campaign. I think we're presenting it."

Hubler grew up as the son of a Presbyterian minister and graduated from Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln High School. He worked for a railroad company before enlisting in the U.S. Navy.

He received an honorable discharge, with a background in nuclear-powered submarines, in 1969. Hubler returned to Iowa and became a community leader in Fairfield. He also served as the Western Iowa Coordinator for U.S. Sen. Dick Clark and then-U.S. Rep. Tom Harkin. Clark kept Hubler on his staff after the senator gained office in 1972.

Hubler also has served as a political fundraising consultant for Rep. John Cavanaugh of Nebraska, Sen. Gary Hart for his presidential campaign and Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois.

Hubler left politics for the seminary and ministered to congregations in four states. He retired from being a full-time minister in 2000 to care for his father in Pasadena, Calif.

He moved back to Iowa in 2006 and was encouraged by friends to resume a career in politics.

Whittenburg is convinced that Hubler is the man to beat King. "What it boils down to you have two different kinds of congressmen - you have show horses and you have work horses. What we have is a show horse. Somebody who makes outrageous remarks and he gets some publicity and some play out of those remarks, but doesn't actually do anything for the citizens of the fifth district….He isn't taken seriously by his colleagues. So therefore we have no input into the system of government which is a representative democracy. I think people are looking for change."

"Rob Hubler is a workhorse," Whittenburg stressed. "He's been driving hundreds of thousands of miles across this big district. Talking to thousands of people getting their input and ideas. Putting together policies and positions that reflect the true needs and wants, and situations that people find themselves in in the fifth district."

Whittenburg continued, "….With his experience in life and in politics has demonstrated he can get things done. He can reach out to a broad spectrum of people and that's what it takes in a democracy. To build coalitions. Get people to agree with you or compromise with you in order to get things done."

Both Whittenburg and Kibbie shared their pleasure with regards to Obama's choice of Biden as his vice presidential running mate.

"I think Joe Biden is a strong choice for a lot of reasons," Whittenburg said. He obviously has 30 plus years of experience on the Senate foreign relations committee. he's done extensive work with law enforcement over his career. He was the author of putting 100,000 additional policemen on the streets in 1994.

Calling him a great campaigner, Whittenburg added, "I think there's a wealth of experience both domestically and in foreign policy. He's a level headed guy. He's a listener. He's respected overseas and domestically.

"Certainly for any administration to be successful it's bringing a lot of different people with a lot of different perspectives together and agreeing on what needs to be done. Sen. Biden has a lot of experience with that. That may be the strongest thing that he brings to both the ticket and Obama's administration."

Kibbie said, "I was a Biden guy. I caucused for Joe Biden. He stayed at our house overnight and I got to know he and his wife. I was very pleased with Obama's pick."

With regard to any bounce in the polls the announcement and the Democratic convention might have, Kibbie said, "I think you'll see a difference at the polls in the next couple of weeks. After Labor Day, that's when people get interested in the polls and the election, even at the local level."

Clay County Supervisor Sylvia Schoer, who is stepping down from her position at the end of this term, is completing 20 years of service, prompting some comments from Whittenburg who looked at what her two decades of service has meant to the county.

"Sylvia is certainly very receptive to citizen's concerns. She's very sincere and listens well. She's always been available and always understanding what the issues are for her constituency.She's always very focused on doing the right thing. She wants what's best for all the citizens of Clay County and she's been an outstanding example to other supervisors and everyone who holds office."

Kibbie has filed to run for another term in the Iowa Senate. He currently serves residents in District 4, which includes all of Emmet, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Humboldt and Pocahontas counties as well as Jackson, Deer Creek and Johnson townships in Webster county.

In addition to serving as President of the Iowa Senate, Kibbie is vice-chair of the Rules and Administration committee, co-chair of the Ethics committee, and on State Government, Agriculture committees.

While the budget and fulfilling education funding commitments will be high priorities when the state legislature comes together once again, the highest priority will be focused on the aftermath of spring flooding victims Kibbie said.

Looking at a path of damage through Iowa, stretching from the Minnesota line to Missouri line, from Decorah to Keokuk, Kibbie said, "The main priority is going to be to see that 40,000 displaced families get a roof over their head before winter."

As far as the county candidates are concerned, politics begins at home.

"Local government is probably the most important government…People govern best from the bottom up," Schar said.

Kehoe said that for Democrats, economic development is a priority in Clay County and Spencer. The focus should be on retaining young people and expanding business.

Key to keeping the younger people will be a focus on affordable housing for those trying to start a family as well as those people on fixed incomes and the elderly.