Retired U.S. Navy Admiral and former Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Pa., is running for president, stressing his naval history as the core of his candidacy.

“Not just to execute orders, again, as someone rips them out. But to be able to move this country forward, or else we will not meet the defining challenges of our time. That’s the real reason I’m running.” Sestak said Thursday at the Ames Public Library.

Sestak entered the presidential race in June, joining a field which includes more than 20 other candidates for the Democratic nomination. The retired admiral spoke with Story County Democrats at their monthly meeting Thursday about his time in the Navy to current issues in politics to why he is running for president.

“I grew up in the United States Navy,” Sestak said. “I learned integrity’s values during those 31 years, service to country, to others above self.”

Sestak said he retired from the Navy after his three-year-old daughter was struck with malignant brain cancer. He said no adult has ever survived that cancer, and only 8 percent of children have — including his daughter.

 “The story about his daughter, and her cancer that was very powerful,” Bree Stienberger, a volunteer with the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said.

An audience member brought up their concerns over climate change during Sestak’s question and answer session.

“I believe that you have to be able to have the facts, and then you can give your opinion about them — and so that will be my approach,” Sestak said.

When asked by an audience member about President Donald Trump’s recent actions making automatic citizenship for children of some U.S. military families overseas Sestak responded saying, “it has to go back to what it is, it’s outrageous.”

Towards the end of his visit, one audience member asked what Sestak would like his campaign to be remembered for.

“This country is yearning for someone who’s accountable to them. People. Not party, not self, not any special interests. [Someone] they’ll trust even when disagreeing. That’s my meaning and what I most want to be remembered for in office,” Sestak said.

“You know I don’t think he said anything tonight that I disagreed with” Steve Padgitt, a volunteer with the presidential campaign Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said. “I’m not sure what all his motivation is for running.”

Representative-elect Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, said Sestak has impressive credentials.

“It’s unfortunate in some ways that he didn’t jump in sooner,” Wilburn said.

Speaking with the Daily after the event, Sestak said his campaign plans to have events on the Iowa State campus during the fall semester. Sestak added his goal is to qualify for presidential debates later in the fall, though he has not hit any of the polling criteria to do so.