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D.C. Dispatch: What does Iowa redistricting means for U.S. House races?

['Katie Akin', 'More From Author', '- October']

Date: 2021-10-29 00:00:00


Happy Halloween, and welcome to another edition of the D.C. Dispatch. This week, the U.S. House delegation was shaken up by Iowa’s redistricting process at home and negotiations on the spending and infrastructure bills continued in Washington.

Here’s what you need to know:

Redistricting prompts House race switcharoos

The Iowa Legislature approved a redistricting plan on Thursday, creating new district boundaries for members of the U.S. House.

The most significant change is that Wapello County, home of Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, is now in the same district where Rep. Cindy Axne resides. Miller-Meeks released a statement Thursday evening that she would be running for reelection, but she’s considering her options.

My statement on Iowa’s new congressional maps: pic.twitter.com/U3qQqMoIBx — Dr. Miller-Meeks (@millermeeks) October 29, 2021

The new map also switched around the district numbers, which might take some getting used to. For the last decade, the 1st District was in the northeast corner of the state, with the other districts in clockwise order. Now, the northeast corner of Iowa is the 2nd District and the 1st District includes the southeast corner.

So, Rep. Ashley Hinson now resides and will run for re-election in the 2nd District, rather than the 1st District. If Miller-Meeks decides to move to a new county to represent the southeastern portion of the state, she would likely move into the 1st District.

I’m running for re-election! In 2022, I will humbly ask the voters of Iowa’s new 2nd Congressional District to send me back to Congress, and I hope I can count on your support. Join our team today- https://t.co/yiAVvop7lE pic.twitter.com/wl9Ku8IFfq — Ashley Hinson (@hinsonashley) October 29, 2021

The new map also prompted a swap for Democratic competitors: Rep. Liz Mathis is now running against Hinson in the 2nd District, and Rep. Christina Bohannan is running in the 1st District.

Thrilled that we had a fair, nonpartisan redistricting process! Welcome to IA-01, Southeastern Iowa. Now let’s turn it blue. pic.twitter.com/6x2riFAaLy — Christina Bohannan (@BohannanIowa) October 29, 2021

Rep. Randy Feenstra is sitting comfortably in the 4th District, which now stretches to cover the entire western border of Iowa.

Democratic spending bill stumbles toward finish line

Negotiations are ongoing on a social spending bill, with Democrats deadlocked against one another in a battle between progressives and moderates.

The bill is significantly smaller than it was initially, totaling about $1.75 trillion. Democrats also need to pass an infrastructure bill, but progressives are refusing to vote on that package until the larger spending bill is passed.

Iowa’s delegation is expected to fall along party lines when the spending bill makes it to a vote. Axne has promoted the bill on social media, arguing it will support farmers, lower health care costs and improve child care options.

Hinson released a statement Thursday blasting the proposal as a “social — and socialist — spending extravaganza.”

“Speaker Pelosi is right about one thing–this legislation will be transformative,” Hinson wrote. “If this behemoth passes, it will fundamentally change America as we know it and put our country on a dangerous path toward socialism.”

Bipartisan opposition grows to IRS reporting proposal

Iowa’s Republicans have objected for weeks to a proposal that would allow the IRS to keep records on private bank accounts to catch tax fraud. The initial proposal would have required banks to report information to the IRS on any account that deposited, transferred or withdrew more than $600.

A new version of the bill would raise that cap to $10,000, but more Democrats, including Axne, have voiced their opposition to the plan.

Tonight, I joined @RepLouCorrea & 19 other House Democrats to urge removal of the proposed IRS reporting rules from the #BuildBackBetterAct. We need to ensure the top 1% are paying their taxes, but the current proposal goes too far. Read more: https://t.co/L1A1UFH7DL #IA03 pic.twitter.com/kfNQu0jQ6O — Rep. Cindy Axne (@RepCindyAxne) October 27, 2021





House launches companion to Ernst legislation on sex offender immigration

Several weeks after Sen. Joni Ernst announced new legislation to prohibit sex offenders from immigrating to the U.S., the House has debuted a companion bill.

“The Biden Administration’s lax border policies have incentivized illegal immigrants, including dangerous criminals, to come into our country,” Hinson said in a statement. “The BE GONE Act would help ensure that law enforcement is empowered to find and deport convicted sex criminals–we should all be able to agree that sex offenders should not be welcomed into the United States.”

Iowa’s Republican House members — Hinson, Feenstra and Miller-Meeks — have signed onto the bill as co-sponsors. Axne is not a co-sponsor of the legislation.

Delegation pushes biofuels

Biofuels haven’t been at the center of national discussions lately, but Iowa’s delegation wants them to be.

Sen. Chuck Grassley and Ernst this week signed onto a letter asking the Biden administration again for a meeting on biofuels. Feenstra published an opinion in Agri-Pulse that demands Biden “uphold his promise to embrace biofuels.”

Meanwhile, the latest version of the spending bill includes $1 billion for biofuels and an extension of the biodiesel tax credit.

House votes to give Congressional Gold Medal to Cpl. Daegan Page

The U.S. House voted unanimously on Monday to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the thirteen U.S. servicemembers who were killed in an August attack at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan, including Iowa Marine Corporal Daegan Page.

“Not a day has gone by since that I have not thought of the service and sacrifice of this young man – and the twelve other servicemembers that made the ultimate sacrifice alongside him that day,” Axne said.

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