DES MOINES — With his typical flair, Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards spoke to a crowd of more than 1,000 supporters at a rally outside the Capitol on Wednesday during his first stop in Iowa since the state Democratic convention last month.

The visit also marked the first solo stop Edwards has made since being named Kerry’s running mate, showing Iowans their state, which was won by barely 4,000 votes in the last election, is a priority for the Democrats this year.

“The time I spent in Iowa is so important to what I am today,” Edwards said. “Both [John Kerry and I] have so much admiration and respect for the people of Iowa.”

Republicans, as well, have not forgotten about the state. Later this week, Vice President Dick Cheney will be in Waterloo to speak, marking his third Iowa visit in four months.

Edwards said his Republican opponent hasn’t shown as much concern about the state than Edwards or Kerry. Both Kerry and Edwards spent more than a year campaigning in the state before the caucuses.

“We heard your voices. You are part of who we are,” he said. “Your cause is our cause.”

One of the main areas Edwards focused on was his modest roots, which he claimed has helped develop many of his strong small-town values, one of the main elements of his earlier campaign.

“I know what values are, I grew up with the — work, faith, responsibility, family,” he said. “Those are the kinds of values you and I grew up with.”

Edwards also defended the values of his running mate. He said a person’s values could not be determined by a political advertisement — but instead by sitting down and talking to him.

“It’s not very complicated; when John was the captain of that boat, he was the one responsible … he showed that he is responsible, he will lead and he has courage,” he said, speaking of Kerry’s military service in Vietnam.

Edwards attacked the current administration for not taking responsibility for intelligence failures that occurred in planning for the Iraq war. He said when a recent report from the British government highlighted similar problems, Prime Minister Tony Blair took responsibility — something he said President Bush should do.

“I’ll tell you one thing you can take to the bank, when John Kerry is our president, every day he is in the White House — every single day that he is the president for all Americans, he will tell the American people the truth,” he said.

Standing beside Edwards was Gov. Tom Vilsack, who was in competition with Edwards to be Kerry’s running mate. Vilsack said Edwards was more than just his powerful speaking skills, but also a great listener.

“He’s been listening to the hopes and dreams of ordinary folk,” Vilsack said.

Vilsack said he was confident the state’s seven electoral votes would go Democratic, as they did in 2000.

“In November, Iowa will go for Kerry-Edwards; do you agree?” he said.

Democrat Art Small, who is running against Sen. Charles Grassley in the upcoming election, said he thought the presidential race was going to be close again this year.

Small said, however, he thought the state would go Democrat again.

Iowa’s first lady, Christie Vilsack, was also on hand, as her husband announced she would be speaking during the Democratic National Convention later this month, the first time someone in her position has done so.

“It’s not an accident that Christie is the first First Lady to speak at prime time at a national convention — it is because she is extraordinary,” Edwards said.