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WHEATLAND -- Rita Hart says her family knows what to expect when she tells them: “‘Oh, come on! It’ll be fun.”

The phrase usually means Hart, a former state senator from Wheatland, is about to embark on a challenging new journey. And it’s one she’s using again as she begins a campaign to replace outgoing Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack in Congress.

“I think that’s what we’ll start (Tuesday),” Hart said. “We’ll start the fun of this campaign, which is getting out there and engaging with as many people as we can and listening to see what they have to say.”

Loebsack, the representative of Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District since 2006, announced in April he would retire at the end of his current two-year term. His decision has set off high interest from members of both major political parties to become the district’s next representative in 2020. Hart is walking into the campaign as the best-known of any of the prospective Democrats, which include Scott County Supervisor Ken Croken, Iowa Sen. Zach Wahls and Quad-Cities attorney Ian Russell. Following her stint in the state senate, Hart was the running mate of unsuccessful Democratic candidate for governor Fred Hubbell, a venture that’s given her statewide name recognition.