In one of Democrats’ best hopes for flipping a Midwestern Republican congressional district, a leading Democratic challenger for Iowa’s 1st District has raised over $300,000 in the 4th quarter reporting period. State Representative Abby Finkenauer’s campaign informed Starting Line today that they should be posting a total of around $302,000 or $303,000 for the final quarter of 2017. That doubles Finkenauer’s previous filing and puts her in a strong position both for the Democratic primary and her potential general election matchup against incumbent Republican Rod Blum.

This brings Finkenauer’s overall total raised for her race to over $600,000 – she brought in $156,015 for 2017’s 2nd quarter and $152,097 in the 3rd. In comparison to previous races, Monica Vernon – Democrats’ eventual nominee in 2016 – raised $200,753 in the 4th quarter of 2015, and Pat Murphy – the eventual nominee in 2014 – brought in $105,219 in the same period of 2013.

Blum reported $883,779 cash-on-hand after his 3rd quarter report last year. He doesn’t typically raise as much from individual donors as his Democratic challengers (he raised just $119,336 in this same period two years ago), but he often provides his campaign with six-figure loans from his personal wealth.

Iowa’s 1st District, which covers Dubuque, Cedar Rapids and Cedar Falls/Waterloo, is a major target for Iowa and national Democrats. Blum was named the fourth-most vulnerable incumbent by Roll Call, Politico has it as one of their top 10 districts to watch, and the Cook Political Report moved the 1st District into their “toss-up” category last year. Polling has shown a very close race, with Finkenauer just slightly besting Blum in one PPP Poll that had her up 42% to 40%

Blum himself is an interesting Republican incumbent. First running and winning in 2014 as a wealthy, outsider businessman who then quickly angered Republican House leadership by aligning with the Freedom Caucus, the two-term congressman was a Trump-like candidate before Trump ran for president. Democrats tried to tie Blum to the Republican nominee in 2016, but that tactic backfired when the 1st District – once a Democratic-leaning area – swung decisively to Trump. Some counties in Blum’s district saw 30 to 40-point swings from Obama’s margins in 2012 to Trump’s margins in 2016.

But a recent Des Moines Register poll showed that 47% of voters in the 1st District now favor a Democrat for Congress, while only 29% prefer a Republican for the seat. In that poll, Trump’s disapproval numbers had soared to 60% statewide, and the 1st District generic ballot question seemed to indicate that perhaps the blue collar workers who abandoned Democrats in 2016 are starting to return to the party.

Finkenauer could be well-positioned to capitalize on that dynamic if that’s the case – she’s running on a profile as a daughter of working-class, union parents who has stood up for working families in the Iowa legislature. She’s taken particular aim at Blum’s wealth and his votes for the tax bill that was skewed toward helping the rich.

“I’m energized by the outpouring of support to take back the 1st District for working families,” Finkenauer said in a statement. “Rod Blum says he’s on our side, but he betrays us with vote after vote benefiting his corporate special interest donors. I’m proud that 84% of our donations are $100 or less – we’re winning this seat back because fighting for Iowa’s hard-working families is personal to me.”

At age 29, Finkenauer is also one of the younger candidates contending for a closely-watched swing district (though several Iowa candidates for major office are under 40 this year, including Thomas Heckroth, her main competition in the primary). She’s a two-term legislator from Dubuque who bested several older men in a primary in her first run for office back in 2014.

Many national groups have lined up behind Finkenauer’s candidacy, including EMILY’s List, NARAL, the Future Forum and End Citizens United. She also has the backing of most of the major labor unions in the state like AFSCME Council 61, Iowa Teamsters, Dubuque Building and Construction Trades and more.

“Three quarters in a row, Abby’s campaign has established itself as the right one to win the primary and take on Rod Blum,” added Finkenauer campaign director Joe Farrell. “This cycle is make or break for the 1st District – and we have a fantastic candidate in Abby Finkenauer. Abby’s been traveling all across the district, and just in December she’s met with voters in a library in Grinnell, to a coffee shop in Decorah and an A&W in Cresco. People across the district are stepping up to join Abby in taking back the First for working families.”

The primary for the 1st District is on June 5. Finkenauer, Heckroth, Courtney Rowe and George Ramsey are all competing for the Democratic nomination.

by Pat Rynard

Posted 1/4/18