Clinton tries new tactic in state that rejected her in 2008

MONTICELLO, Iowa (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton is searching for a second chance in the state that delivered the first blow to her failed presidential campaign eight years ago.

In the midst of a two-day swing through Iowa, the opening act of her 2016 campaign to become the first female U.S. president, Clinton is trying to show Democratic voters that she's taking nothing for granted this time around.

On Wednesday, Clinton tours a family-owned produce company and speaks with small-business leaders in Iowa, the Midwestern state that will kick off the 2016 nomination process. She lost the Iowa causes, and ultimately, the nomination to Barack Obama in 2008.

On her second try, the former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state appears unlikely to face a formidable Democratic opponent in the primary campaign.

Should she win the nomination, Clinton would face the winner of a crowded Republican primary field. Three Republican senators have already entered the race — Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas, and Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Declaring herself a "champion" for struggling families, Clinton laid out four pillars for her campaign for the Democratic nomination, listing the need to build "the economy of tomorrow, not yesterday," strengthen families, fix dysfunctional government, and protect the country from threats. And though she's running in what's expected to be the most expensive election in history, Clinton embraced the idea of a constitutional amendment to get "unaccountable money" out of the campaign finance system.

Clinton didn't get into any specifics on Tuesday about how she would achieve her goals, promising that she would do so in coming weeks. Instead, it was a day for political messaging, as Clinton presented a progressive rationale for her candidacy to quell skepticism from liberals in her party about her commitment to tackling income inequality.

Not all were sold, including some past allies. As Clinton spoke in Iowa, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who ran her campaign for Senate in New York, refused to endorse her, saying he wanted to hear more about her policy positions.