IMOGENE, Iowa — My daughter and I flew into Omaha for a trip that would include a college visit for her and a speech by me, but first, we made it to SportsPlex in Shenandoah, Iowa, for the parish picnic of St. Patrick, the Catholic Church in nearby Imogene.

Amid the burgers, hot dogs, overabundant homemade desserts, go-carts, mini-golf, batting cages, and bounce houses was an incredibly friendly crowd from around Fremont and Page counties here in southwest Iowa.