Rod Blum
Only one of the three Republicans from Iowa who are now serving in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to give Ohio Republican John Boehner a third term as Speaker of the House.
David Young of Van Meter said he had “thoughtful conversations” in the past 24 hours with each of the three publicly announced candidates for speaker and he decided to vote for Boehner.
Long-time Iowa GOP Congressman Steve King had been trying to deny Boehner the job, arguing Boehner had thwarted Republican attempts to respond to President Obama’s policies on immigration and health care.
Rob Blum of Dubuque, the other rookie member of Iowa’s congressional delegation, joined King in trying to get rid of Boehner as speaker. Blum issued a written statement, saying he “was elected by Iowans to stand up to the status quo in Washington, DC, and I refuse to turn my back on them with my first vote…I must follow the will of the Eastern Iowans who rejected politics as usual in November and are calling for change in D.C.”
Blum and King were among the 24 Republicans who voted against Boehner as speaker, five short of what was needed to stymie Boehner’s bid to stay in the post.
Young — the rookie Republican from Iowa who voted for Boehner — said in a written statement that “while there were many differing opinions about this vote, from the numerous conversations I had with my constituents and other members of the House, it was clear that we are all unified in wanting the best for this great nation and her people.”