The only Democrat remaining in Iowa’s congressional delegation is seeking a sixth term this November.
Dave Loebsack defeated Republican Jim Leach, a 30-year incumbent in 2006. That a wave election for Democrats. Loebsack has since survived the Republican “waves” in 2010 and 2014 and is representing the 24 counties in southeast Iowa’s second congressional district. It includes Newton, Pella and Ottumwa as well as Clinton, Davenport and Burlington.
Loebsack, who lives in Iowa City, supports Hillary Clinton’s tax plan.
“Clearly, I think we’re going to have to invest more in education. I think we’re going to have to invest more in infrastructure. I think that’s the way to go to keep this economy moving and deepen this recovery,” Loebsack says. “And I think the wealthy are going to have to pay their fair share.”
Christopher Peters of Coralville is Loebsack’s Republican challenger. Unlike other Republicans, Peters says federal income tax rates should stay the same until there are “sizable reductions” in the federal debt.
“Allow states to have more power and authority over things that occur in their borders,” Peters says. “I think we’ve become too reliant on the federal government to be a grand overseer of all of our needs.”
Neither of these candidates would repeal the Affordable Care Act. Loebsack says costs can be reduced by finding ways to inject more competition into the system and getting young, healthy people to buy insurance.
“Clearly, there are going to be things that we’re going to have to look at,” Loebsack says. “We’re going to have to be open-minded about this, but I don’t want to kick 20 million people off their health insurance and I don’t want to kick young folks off their parents’ insurance and I don’t want folks with a pre-existing condition to be denied health insurance going forward.”
Peters, who is a surgeon, says he’d change “some bits” of ObamaCare, with the goal of making Americans better shopper when it comes to health care.
“Most patients that do not have chronic, serious health conditions, I’d like to see them have high-deductable plans, paired with a health savings account, so that when they go see a physician or go get their prescriptions filled, they’re asking…’Do I really need to do this? Is there a less expensive option?'”
The two candidates support comprehensive immigration reform. Loebsack says he’s a “no” vote on the Trans Pacific Partnership. Peters says free trade in general is good, but he has some concerns with how intellectual property rights would be handled under the TPP. Neither would vote to send U.S. ground troops to Syria.
Peters is the only federal candidate on the Republican ticket in Iowa who has said he will NOT vote for Donald Trump.