Freezing temperatures and icy streets did not stop presidential hopeful Andrew Yang from drawing a couple hundred people to the Englert for a town hall about women’s issues. Across town, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar also drew a few dozen people to a meet-and-greet in Coralville despite the winter storm warning.

Yang’s event was one day after his wife, Evelyn Yang, said she was sexually assaulted by her OB/GYN while pregnant with her second son. 

Speaking to reporters after the event, Yang called for changes to the justice system to make reporting sexual assault easier for women.

“There are so many things that need to change. Terrible things happen to women everyday, and the vast majority are never reported,” Yang said. 

Yang estimated on stage there were around 240 people in attendance. The town hall was originally scheduled to take place after the Iowa City Women’s March, though the event was canceled due to inclement weather. 

Responding to questions from the audience, Yang said his freedom dividend proposal, which would provide each citizen with $1000 a month, could help women get ahead in STEM and business fields. 

Yang said his freedom dividend would allow women to access necessary resources for starting a business. 

“Women entrepreneurs are among the most untapped resources in our society today. When you look at a woman who’s trying to start a business, the obstacles start immediately,” Yang said. “Women have a harder time accessing mentorship, guidance, coaching loans, everything you need to start a business.” 

Yang was asked if the freedom dividend would help eliminate systematic inequalities people of color face.

“Does 1000 dollars a month do something to change that? You need to have systemic solutions to find out what is causing this inequity,” Yang said. ”You have to go after each problem in concert. I would never be someone who suggests $1000 a month eliminates the pervasive inequities that face women and women of color.” 

Yang argued he is well-positioned to beat Trump, saying he has support among moderates and libertarians, adding he is the only candidate that Trump has not tweeted about. 

“He hasn’t tweeted about me because one, his followers kind of like me, and two, I’m better at the internet than he is,” Yang said. 

Iowa City councilor Pauline Taylor attended the town hall. She said she has not decided who she is going to caucus for, though Yang is one of her top choices. 

Taylor said she is also considering Sen. Amy Klobuchar, as well as Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders. 

Taylor said the constant focus on who is leading the polls can distract voters from candidates like Yang. 

“I think its distracting to hear that [Sanders} is on top, then Biden’s on top, then Warrens on top, and some of the others are just getting brushed under the rug, because [Yang’s] a fairly viable candidate,” Taylor said. “I think people should be aware of that … they should just get out there and find out about the candidates themselves.” 

The latest Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll showed Yang polling at 5% among Iowans, placing him at 6th place among democratic candidates.

Polling averages from 538 shows Yang at 3.7 percent in New Hampshire, lower than in Iowa. 

About a mile away in Coralville, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar greeted about 100 people who braved the winter storm warning for a town hall event. Her press secretary, Carlie Waibel, said Klobuchar drove to Iowa last night from Minneapolis.

During her event, Klobuchar leaned heavily on what she says is her ability to appeal to a broad coalition of voters, a theme she’s touched on throughout her campaign.  

Carolyn Walling, of Coralville, came out to see Klobuchar for the first time despite the weather. She doesn’t live far away, but said she wouldn’t come out in the inclement weather to see any other candidate.

“I just feel so strongly about her,” Walling said. “She’s perfect — not too far to the left and not too far right.”

An organizer with the Iowa City women’s march, Lisa Bergmann-Smithey, attended Klobuchar’s Coralville event, saying that organizers debated about having the women’s march, but ultimately decided to cancel because they didn’t want to put travelers in jeopardy.

Sarah Watson contributed to this report.