The son of a grocer and a school teacher stressed his small town values while speaking at the Iowa Straw Poll in Hilton Coliseum on Aug. 11.

“I am an individual who believes in the Republican Party,” said presidential candidate and former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson. “Our political party needs to get back to it’s basics.”

Thompson announced he was withdrawing from the presidential race Aug. 12, following a disappointing sixth-place finish at the straw poll.

At the straw poll, Thompson discussed his plans for health care, immigration and the American military.

He had planned to strengthen the Medicare and Medicaid programs to ensure they are there in the future for the people who depend on them.

Thompson has family members who have had cancer.

“I don’t want any women in America to suffer from this disease anymore,” he said. “Let us marshal our forces as Republicans and let’s defeat cancer.”

Thompson pointed out that in 1986 America made a law that said “no more illegal immigrants.” He discussed his stance on building a wall to keep illegal immigrants from coming into America.

“I commit to you, I will build that barrier in the first six months of my presidency,” he said.

According to his Web site, www.tommy2008.com, Thompson believes America needs to enforce immigration policies to the fullest extent.

He suggested that every American should have a passport so they can prove to their employer that they are an American citizen.

“If your going to come to our country legally, you should learn the American language,” Thompson said.

He had planned to rebuild the American military to keep America safe.

According to his Web site, Thompson would have made the military bigger, because he thinks they are stretched too thin to be able to protect overseas and in the country.