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With Hillary Clinton on her way to the Hawkeye State hours after making her presidential campaign official, Iowa Democrats feel that a competitive primary will help the state party and will therefore help the former secretary of state.

"The more people that get in and expand this debate, the better the party will be," Bob Meddaugh, a Democratic activist and supporter of Vice President Joe Biden's 2008 presidential bid, said at a Polk County Democrats event. "And I think it will help Hillary, too."

READ: Hillary Clinton launches second presidential bid

And even those behind the Clinton's Iowa operation are saying they'll fight for every vote and they're anticipating primary challengers.

"We expect the caucus to be competitive," said Matt Paul, Clinton's 2016 Iowa campaign manager. "Hillary's committed to working hard to earn the support of every Iowan."

Democrats in the first-in-the-nation caucus state are hungry for an exciting, competitive contest, one where multiple candidates are asking for their vote by showing up on their doorstep. They are jealous of Republicans who have had regular cattle-call events in the Hawkeye State and will likely have a dozen candidates to choose from.

"Iowa, we are really spoiled, we are used to that pressing the flesh and talking to these people," said Monica McCarthy, the Union County Democratic Party chairwoman in 2008. "We expect that."

Clinton's ever-growing world of campaign staffers has watched Democrats like former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb and along with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders tease presidential runs in Iowa. Though it may seem counterintuitive, Team Clinton's hope is that one candidate will emerge as Clinton's foil, someone who will push her to compete and run a competitive caucus campaign.

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Despite low poll numbers, O'Malley has emerged, in the eyes of Clinton supporters, as the most likely person to be her foil. He has been a repeat visitor to the state and received plaudits from a wide array of Iowa Democrats for the time he has put in. What's more, O'Malley's super PAC shipped a dozen staffers to Iowa to work on different campaigns during the 2014 midterm elections.

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Hillary Clinton's 2008 run lingers over her 2016