Source: The Chicago Tribune
On May 10, 2004 The Chicago Tribune reported, "There are no fewer than 11 Roman Catholic churches in this picturesque Mississippi River town of about 60,000 people, a place some locals call 'little Rome' in reference to its religious leanings and hilltop construction. So on the face of it, this heavily blue-collar city may have seemed a curious place for President Bush to target late last week in his first official campaign tour in the Midwest battleground states of Iowa and Wisconsin--states he narrowly lost in 2000. The city's strong Catholic and Democratic traditions--which include a Kennedy Mall, John F. Kennedy Drive and Kennedy Elementary School -- would seem to favor Sen. John Kerry, another senator from Massachusetts who is Catholic and wants to be president. But Dubuque County--one of the most Catholic in the nation--also is filled with social conservatives who might be persuaded to vote for a Republican who appeals to their values and sense of patriotism. It's the sort of place where Bush needs to convince at least some voters that he deserves a second term.... Since the nearly tossup election four years ago, the Bush administration has pursued Catholic voters aggressively through programs such as faith-based social services and opposition to stem cell research."