NRCC Memo: Iowa Primary Results
TO: INTERESTED PARTIES
FROM: NRCC POLITICAL AND NRCC COMMUNICATIONS
DATE: JUNE 4, 2014
SUBJECT: IOWA PRIMARY RESULTS
Democrats are in a tough position to hold two congressional seats in Iowa and will have a very difficult time picking up a third. Iowa’s 1st Congressional District will be very competitive due to Democrat Rep. Bruce Braley’s decision to run for U.S. Senate. Rep. Dave Loebsack in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District continues to support Democrat policies, like ObamaCare, that have hurt Iowa families. In Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, the Democrats’ anointed candidate, Staci Appel, has struggled to gain any traction and will face voter backlash for her support for the Obama-Pelosi agenda. Republicans are poised to hold Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District and have a great opportunity to win the 1st and 2nd districts.
CHALLENGERS
IA-02: Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) v. Dave Loebsack (D)
Mariannettte Miller-Meeks’ background as a doctor and Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health make her uniquely qualified to represent Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District in Congress. In contrast, Rep. Dave Loebsack’s reckless record of supporting ObamaCare, higher taxes and spending, and anti-energy policies that hurt Iowa families will be front and center over the coming months. The choice could not be clearer. Loebsack fell asleep during an ObamaCare hearing in Congress and Miller-Meeks is a doctor with a track record of finding solutions to problems and she will do the same in Congress.
Geography: PVI: D+4; Obama 55.5% – Romney 42.5%. Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District is located in the southeast portion of the state and includes Davenport and Iowa City. Both the Cook Political Report and the Rothenberg Report rate it as Solid/Safe Democrat.
OPEN SEATS
IA-01: Rod Blum (R) v. Pat Murphy (D)
With Bruce Braley’s decision to run for the U.S. Senate, Iowa’s 1st Congressional District is ripe for a Republican pickup opportunity. Businessman Rod Blum is in a solid position to beat state Rep. Pat Murphy. A career politician, Murphy pursued the same reckless agenda in the Iowa House as Washington Democrats have pushed in Congress. Simply put, a vote for Pat Murphy is a vote for Nancy Pelosi, and voters in Iowa’s 1st district won’t be fooled into electing Pelosi as Speaker of the House twice.
Geography: PVI: D+5; Obama 55.9% – Romney 42.3%. Iowa’s 1st Congressional District is located in the northeast portion of the state and includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo and Dubuque. The Cook Political Report rates it as Likely Democratic and the Rothenberg Report rate it as a Safe Democrat.
IA-03: Robert Cramer/ Matt Schultz/ Monte Shaw/ David Young/ Brad Zaun (R) v. Staci Appel (D)
Regardless of which Republican is nominated later this month, Republicans are poised to hold Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District being vacated by Rep. Tom Latham. Former state Senator Staci Appel, recruited by Washington Democrats, is a former financial consultant to Wall Street banks and lost her reelection bid in 2010. It will be a tough for Appel to sell her radical views in a district that reelected Republican Tom Latham by over former Rep. Leonard Boswell by 8 points.
Geography: PVI: EVEN; Obama 51.2% – Romney 46.9%. Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District is located in the southwest portion of the state and includes Des Moines and Council Bluffs. Both the Cook Political Report and the Rothenberg Report rate it as a Toss-Up.
STATEWIDE ROUNDUP
The following are the unofficial results from Tuesday’s primary election in Iowa. These results are unofficial and incomplete.
*Indicates Winner determined by AP
IA-01 – Republican Primary
436 of 436 Precincts Reporting (100%)
Rod Blum* 55%
Steve Rathje 37%
Gail Boliver 8%
IA-01 – Democrat Primary
436 of 436 Precincts Reporting (100%)
Pat Murphy* 37%
Swati Dandekar 18%
Monica Vernon 24%
Anesa Kajtazovic 15%
Dave O’Brien 7%
IA-02 – Republican Primary
419 of 425 Precincts Reporting
Mariannette Miller-Meeks* 49%
Mark Lofgren 38%
Matthew Waldren 12%
IA-03 – Republican Primary
379 of 392 Precincts Reporting (97%)
Brad Zaun* 25%
Matt Schultz 20%
Monte Shaw 16%
Robert Cramer 21%
David Young 16%
Joe Grandanette 2%