The two congressmen who hope to represent Iowa’s largest county in congress next year raced to send news releases today about a project in the area that’s getting federal financing.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is setting aside more than $3.3 million for improvements to a section of highway on the northeast side of the Des Moines metro, near Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino. The project will improve the junction of Interstate 80 and the Highway 65 bypass.
Democratic Congressman Leonard Boswell’s office was first to send a news release via email. Boswell called the project “essential to improving business opportunity and the quality of life for Iowans.”
Republican Congressman Tom Latham’s office emailed a statement 15 minutes later, mentioning that Latham is “chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees funding for transportation.” Latham called the highway upgrades a “worthy project” that will create jobs and improve traffic flow in the area.
Read the two news releases here.
Iowa is losing a seat in congress because of the redistricting that occured after the 2010 Census. These two congressmen are facing off against one another on November’s ballot.