State Senator and candidate for governor Nate Boulton speaks with former State Senator Thomas Courtney and his wife Nancy in downtown Washington. Photo by Sam McIntosh.

Democratic candidate for governor Nate Boulton visited Washington on his “Hometown Values Tour” Thursday.

Boulton took a tour of downtown Washington, including stops at the Washington Public Library and the State Theatre. Boulton explains the purpose of this tour, “So we want to get out into communities across the state, and start talking about some of the real challenges people in rural Iowa are facing. As well as some of the opportunities we have ahead to kind of renew and rejuvenate some of our small towns across the state.”

Boulton held a listening post at Dodici’s Shop in Washington, one of several listening posts he has held this week to hear the concerns of Iowans. Boulton says Iowans’ concerns stem from the legislature’s budgetary decisions, “People are concerned about mental health access. People are concerned about supporting our local hospitals and clinics. People are concerned about our schools. All of those things really come back to budget priorities, and when the priority is corporate coupons that takes away resources from the things we need to be successful.”

On his “Hometown Values Tour” Boulton also toured Sigourney High School, Keokuk County Health Center, and Simply Soothing Bug Spray in his hometown of Columbus Junction.