There have been no media polls to judge Iowa’s fourth congressional district race.
Republican Congressman Tom Latham’s seeking a seventh term in office. His Democratic challenger is Seldon Spencer, a neurologist from Huxley, who went to do charity medical work in Afghanistan in late August. Spencer says when he returned, he sensed a new “current” among the electorate. “I think there’s a lot of desire for change out there. I think there’s a lot of distress, discomfort with where the country’s going and a desire to see the country get back on the right track.”
Iraq is the over-arching issue of the campaign, according to Spencer. “I think the Iraq thing is a burning hole in everybody’s heart,” Spencer says. “…It’s been bungled and mismanaged and you just don’t see any hope for a chance or for a better outcome unless you change the leadership.”
Congressman Latham doesn’t buy Spencer’s theory. “I don’t feel it,” Latham says. “I believe that Republican efforts are surging.”
According to Latham, when the votes are counted people will see that some of the predictions have been wrong. “I feel very good about going into the election tomorrow,” Latham says. “We’ve got a tremendous number of volunteers out there that are knocking on doors, making phone calls and that’s what’s going to make the difference, but we’re not going to give up until nine o’clock tomorrow night on our work to make sure that we’re successful.”
Iowa’s fifth district congressman, Republican Steve King, is believed to be the safest candidate for congress in Iowa as there is a huge majority of Republican voters in that western Iowa district.