It looks like it’s going to happen:
Former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack (D) is forming an exploratory committee to run against Rep. Steve King (R) and moving into the new 4th district to do so, handing Democrats an unexpected opportunity in the Hawkeye State.
“The decision to run for Congress deserves serious consideration,” Vilsack said in a statement. “Next month I will move to Ames and continue to explore the possibility of representing Iowa in the U.S. House of Representatives.” She has a website and an ActBlue fundraising page set up already.
It’s going to be a very hard fight – Obama lost the newly-configured 4th district by two points, and Kerry lost it by 11 – but this should set up a pretty epic battle. (By way of comparison, Democrats hold eight districts where Kerry performed equally or worse, and 11 such districts with regard to Obama.) I think as long as Christie Vilsack doesn’t shy away from highlighting Steve King’s lengthy record of crazy, she can definitely make this a race.
P.S. As I suggested, since Tom Latham is moving out of Ames to run for Congress, and Christie Vilsack is moving to Ames to run for Congress, shouldn’t she just buy his house?
I hope she can do it. Iowa has never elected a woman to Congress or to the governor’s office.
But if she can remove King Crazypants from Congress, she will be a hero.
The didn’t help out Taryn challenging Bachmann last cycle because they said they like the idea that Bachmann is a spokesperson for the GOP because she makes them look bad. I’d imagine they’d take the same stance with King.
I’ll be honest I had hoped for a map that would leave King with a western-based strong GOP district, and for the other three to easily favor our incumbents…to end up with a 3-1 map instead of one that could easily be 2-2. But the possibility of going 4-0 in Iowa is very exciting.
Can King really hold a district that Obama almost won?
I like.
Oh Christie Vilsack, you’re now the First Lady of my heart.
Congratulations on replacing Lady Gaga in that position.
And here’s to hoping you can replace Steve King in his position of representing Iowa’s most conservative district.
how does that even work? what’s the cost/benefit analysis there?
The DCCC should have stock advice for anyone challenging a whackjob to call Harry Reid. Then Harry directs them to his consultants who tell the candidate what to do.
Corollary, the DCCC also should tell candidates to stay away at all cost from Ron Klein or his consultants.