Caucus race heats up

O’Malley becomes first 2016 Democratic presidential candidate to visit Franklin County
By Nick Pedley
     Immigration reform, reduced college loan debt and a strengthened middle class were some of the priorities shared by Democratic presidential hopeful Martin O’Malley during a visit to Hampton Sunday afternoon.
     Around 30 people attended a meet-and-greet event at the Rustic Brew hosted by the former Maryland governor. O’Malley outlined key points in his platform and also fielded questions from the group, which hit on various topics like national security and the rising cost of higher education.
     “Perhaps we’re the last generation that will have a better quality of life than our parents or grandparents,” O’Malley said. “We can face these challenges, but only if we stick to our American values.”
    Read the full article in the January 13 edition of the Hampton Chronicle.
 
Huckabee stops at Sukup for campaign town hall
By Kelly McGowan
     The 2008 Iowa Caucus’ Republican winner is on a rapid-fire tour through the state in hopes of duplicating that result this February.
     Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee stopped at Sukup Manufacturing Co., Jan. 5 to talk with employees and visitors about his presidential campaign as part of a push to make 150 stops in Iowa this month.
     He talked about his “dirt poor” Arkansas upbringing and growing up believing that “in America, if you worked hard and treated people well, you’d make ends meet.”
     But now, he said, is a scary time for America due to big government, overtaxation and terrorism threats.
         Read the full article in the January 13 edition of the Hampton Chronicle.