Businessman Robert Cramer announced today he will run for the Republican nomination for in Iowa’s third district congressional seat and will hold a formal campaign kickoff event soon. Cramer, who lives in Johnston, owns a bridge construction company and describes himself as “a full spectrum conservative candidate who has served on the Board of Directors for the Family Leader, as well as the Iowa Associated General Contractors.”
Cramer was nominated to the Iowa Board of Regents, but Democrats in the Senate successfully blocked his confirmation in April in part because of his stance against same-sex marriage.
The third district seat will be open with the retirement of Congressman Tom Latham. Cramer adds to a growing Republican field. Monte Shaw, the executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, announced Thursday he will run for the seat. Matt Schultz, Iowa’s Secretary of State, is also running and David Young — a former aide to Senator Chuck Grassley — announced he was ending his bid for the U.S. Senate and would run for Latham’s seat in the House instead.