Christie Vilsack Vows Local Focus During Stop at Iowa State Fair

Democrat Christie Vilsack promised during a stop at the Iowa State Fair on Monday to make Iowa's small towns a place where college graduates can return to and find jobs.

The answer is a commitment to bio-economy, which will serve as the base for creating small businesses in the 39 counties throughout the fourth district, said Vilsack, who is campaigning against multi-term representative Steve King, R-Kiron, in Iowa's 4th district.

"I think of this job locally," Vilsack said to about 75 supporters listening to her 20-minute speech at the Des Moines Register's "soapbox," a fair tradition. "I think Steve King sees this job through a Washington lens. I (think he) has used this job to promote his personal agenda that has nothing to do with the local economy in this district."

Vilsack said she wants to increase internet connectivity throughout the district so people are not "economically isolated or socially isolated."

Vilsack's speech was a much different scene than an hour earlier when thousands of people crammed in to listen to Mitt Romney's recently selected running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin. At least two protesters were escorted out of a raucous crowd.

Vilsack drew sharp distinctions between herself and opponent King attacking him for his support of a Fair Tax, which she said would mean a 23 percent tax every time you go to the supermarket.

Vilsack is in a tough battle against  in a big-money race for Iowa's 4th-District congressional seat. King has served as an Iowa representative since 2003, while Vilsack is a Democratic party staple, having served as Iowa's first lady when her husband, Tom Vilsack, current U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, was governor.

Of Iowa's four congressional races, this one seems to be getting the most attention nationally.