Locals stepped out of the rain and crowded into the Coralville Victory Office to listen to Speaker of the House John Boehner and 2nd District Congressional candidate John Archer at an event meant to enthuse volunteers.

Both Archer and Boehner spoke in support of presidential candidate Mitt Romney and vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan, emphasizing a need for change.

“There’s nobody in Washington who has worked harder with President Obama to try to deal with America’s big issues than I have, and I have to tell you what — it’s been disappointing,” Boehner said in his address Wednesday. “What we need is leadership.”

The two men did not just ask for votes — they also made an attempt to mobilize supporters.

“People don’t believe much of what they see on TV, or hear on the radio — or for that matter read in the newspaper,” Boehner said. “But they do believe 95 percent of what they hear from their friends and neighbors.”

Cary Covington, a University of Iowa associate professor of political science, agreed friends and family largely influence voters.

“One of the top sources of influence are people they know,” he said.

Archer emphasized how much time remains until Election Day.

“In the next 20 days, we are going to have to double our efforts,” he said. “This is not a spectator sport. We are in Hawkeye territory over here.”

Even though both men spoke strongly of electing Romney, Covington said Boehner’s visit to Iowa had more to do with electing Archer than it did with electing Romney.

“Boehner’s appearance in this district probably had more to do with Boehner wanting to add another seat to the Republican majority in the House,” he said.

However, this was not necessarily a drawback for audience members.

“It’s nice to be able to have an opportunity to hear what he has to say about what direction the Congress is going to go,” Larry Brown, Iowa City resident, said. “Hopefully, the Republican Party will hold the Congress.”

And Boehner’s presence could mean the Republican Party is confident they can establish a majority in Congress.

“[His visit] is an indication that the Republican Party thinks this is a seat they can win,” Covington said.

The Iowa Democratic Party fears Archer’s association with Boehner could lead to a decreased focus on Iowa’s middle-class families.

“By choosing to stand with Speaker Boehner, the face of this unpopular Congress who puts millionaires over Medicare — Ben Lange and John Archer are sending a clear signal that they won’t stand with Iowa seniors and middle-class families,” Sue Dvorsky, the head of the Iowa Democratic Party, said in a press release.

Wednesday was part of Boehner’s 45-day trip across the nation to campaign for Romney and energize voters.

“Boehner’s appearance here is designed to draw media attention,” Covington said. “The bigger the name, the more attention that will get. It will help generate enthusiasm.”