Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign is only 48 hours old but 2016 fever is underway, as evidenced by her first official campaign stop in Iowa.
As Clinton's campaign van pulled up to Kirkwood Community College in Monticello, the media scramble began. Clinton's now famous "Scooby van" pulled around to a back entrance, and the media took off across a lawn to capture the moment she entered the building.
Inside, the event was a little more subdued. Clinton sat down with students and educators to chat in an auto technology room at the college.
“Thanks for having me here, and a few of my friends,” Clinton said to the students, in reference to the formidable crowd.
WATCH: Clinton arrives at first campaign event, an auto tech shop in Monticello, IA pic.twitter.com/uM03NaW1iK— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) April 14, 2015
Clinton chatted with the students about taking college-level courses in high school and highlighted the need for more affordable higher education options, according to reporters tweeting from the scene.
But the frantic clicking of cameras was never far away, with members of the media making up most of the crowd.
My view at Hillary Clinton event (Monticello IA) pic.twitter.com/B4lrTlxBOE— Holly Bailey (@hollybdc) April 14, 2015
Jones County welcomes @HillaryClinton #YouGoGirl @HillaryforIA pic.twitter.com/kNA3It8qhJ— Sarah Andrews (@sa_elizabeth) April 14, 2015
Earlier in the day, Clinton also sat down with a handful of Iowans at a coffee shop in Le Claire, where she ordered a chai tea. The state's first-in-the-nation caucuses will be key for Clinton to clinch the Democratic nomination for the 2016 presidential election if she faces serious opposition.
Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton talks with Iowa voters at the Jones Street Java House in Le Claire, Iowa, pic.twitter.com/e9DTyUwn1Z— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) April 14, 2015
Surprise! Sometimes when you're a barista in Iowa you show up for work and take Hillary Clinton's order (masala chai). A photo posted by Amanda Becker (@amandambecker) on Apr 14, 2015 at 11:01am PDT
Clinton will be traveling around Iowa for the next few days, a passenger in the "Scooby" van driven by a Secret Service agent, to meet with voters in the swing state. The event at the community college is just one of two public events that the campaign has announced so far, but Clinton will also be having private meetings with local politicians and business owners.
At 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, she'll be in Norwalk to tour Capital City Fruit, a small family-owned business, and meet the company's employees. She also plans to return to the state at a later date. According to her campaign, "bigger events" are planned next month.
Only 573 days until Election Day 2016— Holly Bailey (@hollybdc) April 14, 2015