Two Ames candidates vying for the Iowa Senate District 23 seat have enlisted the help of high-profile national politicians to kick off their campaigns.

The incumbent, Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, will start his campaign with a rally at 1 p.m. Thursday in the Maintenance Shop of the Memorial Union. The event will feature Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., and other state Democratic candidates, and be followed by a fundraiser that evening.

The Republican candidate, Linda Livingston, an Ames resident working on a degree in elementary education at Iowa State, will host a campaign fundraiser Sept. 10 in Ames featuring Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa.

Iowa Senate District 23 encompasses sections of Story and Boone counties, including Ames.

The candidates said the presence of prominent national politicians at their events will attract voters to their platforms.

Quirmbach said he has admired Feingold since his election to the U.S. Senate in 1992.

“I’ve followed Senator Feingold a long time,” Quirmbach said. “And I’m constantly impressed with him. He’s a straight talker, and that’s a rarity in today’s political environment.”

Trevor Miller, spokesman for the Progressive Patriots Fund, Feingold’s political action committee, said Feingold hopes his appearances at rallies such as the one on Thursday will advance the democratic agenda.

“He views the midterm elections as a tremendous opportunity for Democrats to make gains in Congress,” Miller said, “but also at the state and local levels.”

Quirmbach said higher education would be his top priority if he’s re-elected.

“My main emphasis has always been education,” he said. “First and foremost, I want to restore funding to the Regents institutions.”

Quirmbach, an associate professor of economics, stressed the importance of student involvement during the election.

“I want students to get involved with the elections this fall, no matter which side of the aisle they’re on,” he said.

“Students have a great impact on campaigns at the grassroots level, which is where I want my campaign to take place.”

Livingston, a lifelong Ames resident, said she will capitalize on her experience with the district during her campaign.

“I’m not a career politician by any means,” she said. “I’ve got new ideas and a fresh perspective, and I know the people in this area.”