Democratic Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg visits Decorah to make his closing arguments

When Democratic Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg last visited Decorah in early November, he was able to visit the Trout Run Trail and eat a Ronnie's Roll.  Buttigieg returned to Decorah on Thursday and mentioned both the trail and the rolls and told an audience at the Hotel Winneshiek that he has "a soft spot in my heart" for Decorah.

He joked that when he visited November 2nd, people would tell him "you're in my top seven" of Presidential candidates to caucus for--and he'd appreciate that.  Buttigieg returned to Decorah Thursday as among the top three most popular Presidential candidates in Iowa, depending upon which poll you read.

"So much is at stake" in this presidential election, he told the Steyer Opera House crowd.  He told the group you don't have to pick between change and good government and mentioned both Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden by name, saying "the biggest risk is to look at the same Washington, D.C. playbook."  The South Bend mayor told the audience the challenge is "not only to win big, but to govern well."

When asked by an audience member later how he would do that, he said he would try to work with any Republicans who were willing to work together on legislation and issues they have in common--and to campaign in the states of Republicans unwilling to work together.

"It's time to turn the page," he said, and to do something "newer, different and better."