Brandon Routh, the Iowan who played "Superman" in the 2006 movie "Superman Returns," lent his star power today to Democrat Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign in one of the state's first celebrity appearances since before the January caucuses.

"He's going to do everything in his super powers to make sure Obama is elected," said Drake University student Jordan Oster, in introducing Routh today.

Routh, who grew up in Norwalk, made visits today to Simpson College, Drake University and Coe College. Tonight he goes to the University of Iowa for the homecoming parade and a debate-watching party. And tomorrow he'll be at Mount Mercy College, St. Ambrose University, and with students in Davenport and Knoxville.

At Drake, Routh showed up about a half-hour late, dressed in a white Obama T-shirt and jeans. About 100 students and a handful of staff showed up to hear him speak. He didn't work off a prepared script and even drew chuckles when he said things like, "Voting is important and very good."

Routh described the past seven years under the Bush administration as "kind of crappy" and said he's excited about Obama. He encouraged students to volunteer in the campaign, saying that they could always back out later with an excuse like, "I'm a college student. I'm busy. I have a party to go to." And he ended his speech by saying, "I'll stop boring you."

Two other big stars -- Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore -- will be in Iowa on Saturday for Obama with rallies at Cornell College, Grinnell College, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa.

Iowa hasn't seen many celebrities on the campaign trail since Oprah Winfrey came for Obama in December. Shortly before that, musicians Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt played at a campaign rally in Davenport for then-candidate John Edwards. At the time, Edwards said he didn't expect the star power would win him votes -- just help attract a crowd, get them in the room and gain their interest.

Seems like that was the case with today's visit. Anna McDowell, 19, a Drake University student from Des Moines who is undecided whom she'll vote for in this election, went to see Routh today. "I don't think it will change how I vote, but like, we came to hear him talk," she said.

• See more photos of Routh at Drake University