Steve King (file photo)
A handful of forums featuring Iowa candidates seeking federal office are being held this month, but there will be no debate in Iowa’s fourth congressional district.
“You can probably rest pretty easy that we’ll get to November 8th without one,” Republican Congressman Steve King of Kiron said during a recent Radio Iowa interview.
King is on the 2016 ballot, seeking an eighth term in the U.S. House representing northwest and north central Iowa. King did debate his Democratic opponents in 2012 and 2014, but not this year.
“What would be the purpose of having that kind of a face-to-face discussion? People know what I’m for. I’m for the repeal of ObamaCare. I’m for strong ag policy and I’ve been pro-trade every year that I’ve been in congress. I’m pro-free enterprise, of course; for a strong national defense; pro-life; pro-marriage; pro-constitution; pro-strict constructionist on the courts,” King said.
“Most of what I’ve said it’s been reported to me that my opponent disagrees with, so it shouldn’t be very hard for people to make up their minds when they go to the polls on November 8th. They should be informed by now.”
Kim Weaver
Kim Weaver of Sheldon is the Democrat challenging King in 2016. Weaver said a lack of debates “is a problem” because she’d like to challenge some of King’s votes.
“Most people are familiar with the offensive things he says,” Weaver said. “…What they don’t know is that we’re happy that he’s ineffective because the votes that he has cast would hurt our state.”
Weaver cites King’s support for “privatizing” Social Security and his vote to convert Medicare into a voucher program, so seniors would buy insurance for themselves on the open market. Weaver says King’s opposition to immigration reform has been a boost to her candidacy.
“People I talk to — Republicans and Democrats — do believe that we need a path to citizenship,” Weaver said. “…Real people aren’t as polarized as the politicians and they’re trying to use this, I believe, as a sensationalist scare tactics, you know, ‘The big, bad people are coming to get us,’ when I don’t think it’s true.”
Weaver made her comments during a recent appearance on Iowa Public Television.