Facebook photo of Finkenauer addressing supporters.
Congressional match-ups are set for this November after Tuesday’s primaries.
In Iowa’s first district, Democrat Abby Finkenauer of Dubuque will challenge Republican Congressman Rod Blum of Dubuque this fall.
“Well, I guess we’re going to show ’em…and beat a millionaire who has forgotten about all of us,” Finkenauer said. as she began a speech to supporters last night.
Finkenauer easily defeated three other Democrats in the primary. Finkenauer, who is 29 years old, would be the youngest woman ever elected to congress if she defeats Blum’s bid for a third term.
“Tonight, let’s celebrate and tomorrow, let’s roll up our sleeves and beat Rod Blum and take back our state and our country,” Finkenauer said.
Finkenauer has been a state legislator for the past three-and-a-half years. Former Vice President Joe Biden endorsed her Sunday. Finkenauer worked on Biden’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Cindy Axne of West Des Moines won the Democratic Primary in the third district for the opportunity to challenge Republican Congressman David Young of Van Meter. Axne, a small business owner and former state government worker, collected far more votes than Eddie Mauro and Pete D’Alessandro.
“I said all along that if this race is won on hard work and the best volunteers and supporters out there, then we’re going to win this thing,” Axne told Radio Iowa.
Axne is pledging to run a positive campaign in the General Election.
“David Young might be a nice guy, but when it comes down to making decisions that affect the lives of the people here in our district – that give them hope and give them opportunity, he’s not the right person for the job,” Axne said.
Young is seeking his third term in the U.S. House. Axne said she’ll start working today on a strategy to defeat Young.
“David Young really is working for corporations and special interests, and I think we can see that in the support that he has,” Axne said. “Certainly, things like taking contributions from insurance companies and then turning around and voting for a bill that would raise that premiums on Iowa families and especially older Iowans is just one example.”
In the fourth district, Congressman Steve King easily fended off a Republican Primary opponent. J.D. Scholten of Sioux City defeated two other Democrats to win the slot challenging King’s bid for a ninth term.
“I’m not known for being a Democrat. I’m known for being a baseball player and that gets me into a lot of doors,” Scholten told Radio Iowa last night. “The other thing is being from Sioux City — it’s the largest city in the district and Steve King has never lost Woodbury County. I anticipate that happening this year and, as a result of that, it’s going to be a tight race.”
Scholten, a former professional baseball pitcher, is a paralegal in Sioux City.
“I can’t beat Steve King, but we can,” Scholten told cheering supporters in Sioux City, “and, together, we can build a fourth district in Iowa and in America that stands tall for all.”
Scholten said his game plan for the fall campaign is “pretty simple” — to “out-work” his opponent.
Finkenauer, who is 29 years old, would be the youngest woman ever elected to congress if she defeats Blum’s bid for a third term.
In the third district, Cindy Axne of West Des Moines cruised to victory over two competitors seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination to face Republican Congressman David Young in the fall election.
In the fourth congressional district, Congressman Steve King easily fended off a Republican Primary challenge. J.D. Scholten of Sioux City defeated two other Democrats to win the slot challenging King’s bid for a ninth term.
Republican Christopher Peters, a doctor from Coralville, was unchallenged in his bid to have a rematch with Democratic Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa City this November.
Libertarians formally nominated congressional candidates in the third and fourth districts.
(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Kate Payne in Dubuque; KSCJ’s Woody Gottburg in Sioux City, Radio Iowa’s Pat Curtis and O. Kay Henderson in Des Moines.)