Christina Bohannan of Iowa City, the Democratic candidate in Iowa’s new first congressional district, says political extremism is “a grave threat” to the country.
“I’ve always believed in a two-party system. I always believe that debate and compromise make us better and stronger, but what we have right now is not debate and compromise,” Bohannan said Wednesday afternoon. “What we have right now is extremism and chaos.”
Bohannan is challenging Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is seeking a second term in the U.S. House. During a speech on the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair, Bohannan criticized Miller-Meeks for voting against bills providing more federal funding for infrastructure projects and subsidies to spur domestic U.S. production of computer chips.
“Those were bipartisan bills, OK? They are going to build roads and bridges, they’re going to solve supply chain problems and they’re going to create good jobs for years to come,” Bohannan said. “Even Chuck Grassley supported these bills because he knows how good they’re going to be for Iowa.”
Bohannan was elected to the state legislature in 2020 after defeating a long-time incumbent from Iowa City in a Democratic Primary. Bohannan, who spent part of her speech talking about her background, said that shows she’s willing to stand up to her own party when necessary.
“We all agree on a lot of what we need to do,” Bohannan said. “The problem is that politics are getting in our way.”
A spokesman for the Iowa Republican Party said Miller-Meeks “stands up for Iowans against the Biden Administration’s reckless” agenda and her re-election puts the GOP “one step closer to firing Nancy Pelosi.”