2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa

The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa were held on Tuesday, November 6, to elect the four U.S. representatives from the State of Iowa, one from each of the state's four congressional districts. The elections coincided with the gubernatorial election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The state congressional delegation flipped from a 3–1 Republican majority to a 3–1 Democratic majority.

This was the first time the Democrats won the majority of Iowa's seats since 2010, and the first time they won the popular vote in the state since 2012. As of , these results are also the most recent election in which the Democrats achieved either due to Iowa's significant shift towards the GOP.

Overview Statewide PartyCandidatesVotesSeats %+/– % Democratic 4 664,676 50.48% 3 2 75.00% Republican 4 612,338 46.51% 1 2 25.00% Libertarian 4 29,894 2.27% 0 0.00% Independent 3 5,100 0.39% 0 0.00% Legal Marijuana Now 1 2,015 0.15% 0 0.00% Green 1 1,888 0.14% 0 0.00% Write-in 732 0.06% 0 0.00%Total 17 1,316,643 100.00% 4 100.00%

By district Results of the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa by district:

DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 170,342 50.96% 153,442 45.91% 10,459 3.13% 334,243 100.0% Democratic gainDistrict 2 171,446 54.79% 133,287 42.60% 8,180 2.61% 312,913 100% Democratic holdDistrict 3 175,642 49.30% 167,933 47.14% 12,666 3.56% 356,241 100.0% Democratic gainDistrict 4 147,246 47.04% 157,676 50.37% 8,123 2.59% 313,045 100.0% Republican holdTotal 664,676 50.49% 612,338 46.51% 39,428 3.00% 1,316,442 100.0%

District 1

Incumbent Republican Rod Blum, who had represented the district since 2015, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 54% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+1.

The 1st district went for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election with a 49% to 45% margin, after voting for Barack Obama with a 56% to 43% margin in 2012.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Rod Blum, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Abby Finkenauer, state representative

Eliminated in primary Thomas Heckroth, former staffer for United States Senator Tom Harkin George Ramsey III, former military recruiter Courtney Rowe, engineer and Bernie Sanders delegate at the 2016 state convention

Declined Jeff Danielson, state senator Liz Mathis, state senator Brent Oleson, Linn County Supervisor Steve Sodders, former state senator Stacey Walker, Linn County Supervisor

Endorsements

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Nominee Troy Hageman, activist

Green primary Candidates Nominee Henry Gaff, co-chair of the Iowa Green Party

Gaff was only 18, meaning he would not have met the U.S. Constitution's required minimum age of 25 to be elected to the House of Representatives.

General election Debates + 2018 Iowa's 1st congressional district debates Date Host Moderator Link Republican DemocraticKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Rod Blum Abby Finkenauer1 October 5, 2018 KWWL-TV Ron SteeleAbby TurpinC-SPAN 2 October 16, 2018 KGANKXEL Jeff SteinNick WeigC-SPAN

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror RodBlum (R) AbbyFinkenauer (D) TroyHageman (L) UndecidedEmerson CollegeEmerson College October 29 – November 1, 2018 353 ± 5.5% 41% 53% 4% 2%NYT Upshot/Siena CollegeNYT Upshot/Siena College October 28–31, 2018 452 ± 4.9% 39% 46% 4% 11%The Polling Company (R-Blum)The Polling Company (R-Blum) October 12–13, 2018 400 ± 4.9% 43% 45% 4% 6%The Polling Company (R-Blum)The Polling Company (R-Blum) October 3–4, 2018 400 ± 4.9% 43% 44% 3% 8%NYT Upshot/Siena CollegeNYT Upshot/Siena College September 18–20, 2018 502 ± 4.6% 37% 52% – 11%Emerson CollegeEmerson College September 6–8, 2018 250 ± 6.4% 38% 43% – 12%DCCC (D)DCCC (D)February 13–14, 2018 — —41% 47% – —Public Policy Polling (D)Public Policy Polling (D) February 12–13, 2018 742 ± 3.6% 42% 43% – 15%Public Policy Polling (D-Heckroth)Public Policy Polling (D-Heckroth) November 2–3, 2017 737 – 42% 43% – 16%Public Policy Polling (D)Public Policy Polling (D) October 6–8, 2017 1,093 ± 3.0% 40% 42% – 18%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 5, 2018 Inside ElectionsNovember 5, 2018 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 5, 2018RCPNovember 5, 2018Daily KosNovember 5, 2018538November 7, 2018CNNOctober 31, 2018Fox NewsSeptember 21, 2018PoliticoNovember 2, 2018

Results Finkenauer went on to flip the district; this was one of many victories in swing districts for Democrats in a blue wave election.

District 2

Democratic representative Dave Loebsack, who had represented the district since 2007, was reelected to a sixth term with 54% of the vote in 2016. Loebsack ran for reelection.

The 2nd district went for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election with a 49% to 45% margin, after voting for Barack Obama with a 56% to 43% margin in 2012.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Dave Loebsack, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Christopher Peters, thoracic surgeon and nominee for this seat in 2016Christopher Peters announces run for U.S. Congress, daily-iowan.Com, 2017/07/19.

Eliminated in primary Ginny Caligiuri, businesswoman (write-in)

Declined Bobby Kaufmann, state representative

Results

Independents Daniel Clark

General election Polling Poll source Datesadministered Samplesize Margin oferror DaveLoebsack (D) ChristopherPeters (R) Other UndecidedEmerson College October 29 – November 1, 2018 373 ± 5.3% 53% 40% 2% 5%Gravis Marketing (R-Peters)Gravis Marketing (R-Peters) September 8–11, 2018 425 ± 4.8% 46% 38% – 16% 43% 37% 3%Daniel Clark (I) with 2%, Mark Strauss (L) with 1% 17%Emerson College September 6–8, 2018 250 ± 6.4% 45% 21% – 28%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 5, 2018 Inside ElectionsNovember 5, 2018 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 5, 2018RCPNovember 5, 2018Daily KosNovember 5, 2018538November 7, 2018Fox NewsSeptember 28, 2018CNNOctober 31, 2018PoliticoNovember 2, 2018

Results

District 3

Incumbent Republican David Young, who had represented the district since 2015, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 53% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+1.

The 3rd district went for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election with a 49% to 45% margin, after voting for Barack Obama with a 51% to 47% margin in 2012.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee David Young, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Democratic primary After Greenfield's campaign manager was fired for forging signatures on nominating papers, she attempted to re-collect the 1,790 signatures necessary to make the ballot, but did not get enough signatures.

Candidates Nominee Cindy Axne, businesswoman

Eliminated in primary Pete D'Alessandro, political consultant Eddie Mauro, activist

Did not make ballot Theresa Greenfield, real estate executive

Withdrew Austin Frerick, former Treasury Department economist Paul Knupp, psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner and minister, withdrew from the Democratic primary to join the Green party Heather Ryan, nominee for KY-01 in 2008 Anna Ryon, attorney with the Office of Consumer Advocate Mike Sherzan, businessman and candidate in 2016

Declined John Norris, former chief of staff to Governor Tom Vilsack, former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission member and nominee for IA-04 in 2002 (running for governor)

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Datesadministered Samplesize Margin oferror CindyAxne PeteD'Alessandro EddieMauro UndecidedSelzer & Co.Selzer & Co. May 13–16, 2018 400 ± 4.9% 26% 11% 27% 36%

Results

General election Debate + 2018 Iowa's 3rd congressional district debates Date Host Moderator Link Republican DemocraticKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn David Young Cindy Axne1 October 11, 2018 Iowa Public Television David YepsenC-SPAN

Polling Poll source Datesadministered Samplesize Margin oferror DavidYoung (R) CindyAxne (D) UndecidedEmerson College October 29 – November 1, 2018 380 ± 5.3% 45% 46% 3%NYT Upshot/Siena CollegeNYT Upshot/Siena College October 25–27, 2018 504 ± 4.6% 41% 43% 11%NYT Upshot/Siena CollegeNYT Upshot/Siena College September 27–30, 2018 502 ± 4.6% 43% 44% 13%Emerson College September 6–8, 2018 260 ± 6.4% 47% 31% 15%DCCC (D)DCCC (D) September 4–5, 2018 575 ± 4.1% 43% 46% 11%ALG Research (D-Axne)ALG Research (D-Axne) July 8–12, 2018 500 ± 4.4% 41% 45% 14%

Poll source Datesadministered Samplesize Margin oferror DavidYoung (R) Democraticcandidate Other UndecidedPPP/Patriot Majority USAPPP/Patriot Majority USA October 6–8, 2017 693 ± 3.7% 44% 43% — —

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 5, 2018 Inside ElectionsNovember 5, 2018 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 5, 2018RCPNovember 5, 2018Daily KosNovember 5, 2018538November 7, 2018CNNOctober 31, 2018Fox NewsSeptember 21, 2018PoliticoNovember 2, 2018

Results

District 4

Incumbent Republican Steve King, who had represented the district since 2013, and previously represented the 5th district from 2003 to 2013, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 61% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+11.

The 4th district went for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election with a 61% to 34% margin, after voting for Mitt Romney with a 53% to 45% margin in 2012.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Steve King, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary Cyndi Hanson, educational administrator

Declined Rick Bertrand, state senator and candidate for this seat in 2016

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee J. D. Scholten, paralegal and former professional baseball player

Eliminated in primary Leann Jacobsen, Spencer City Councilwoman John Paschen, physician

Withdrawn Paul Dahl, candidate for Governor in 2014 Kim Weaver, nominee in 2016

Declined Dirk Deam, Iowa State University political science professor Chris Hall, state representative

Results

General election King declined to debate Scholten during the general election campaign.

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Datesadministered Samplesize Margin oferror SteveKing (R) J.D.Scholten (D) Other UndecidedNYT Upshot/Siena CollegeNYT Upshot/Siena College October 31 – November 4, 2018 423 ± 5.0% 47% 42% 1% 9%Emerson College October 29 – November 1, 2018 356 ± 5.5% 51% 42% – 4%Change Research (D)Change Research (D)October 27–29, 2018631–45%44%––WPA Intelligence (R-King)WPA Intelligence (R-King) October 22–24, 2018401± 4.9%52%34%3%11%Expedition Strategies (D-Scholten)Expedition Strategies (D-Scholten) September 5–9, 2018 380 ± 5.0% 43% 37%– –Emerson College September 6–8, 2018 240 ± 6.5% 41% 31%– 16%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 5, 2018 Inside ElectionsNovember 5, 2018 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 5, 2018RCPNovember 5, 2018Daily KosNovember 5, 2018538November 7, 2018Fox NewsSeptember 21, 2018CNNOctober 31, 2018PoliticoNovember 2, 2018

Results King won by the slimmest margin of victory in his congressional electoral career.

References

External links Candidates at Vote Smart Candidates at Ballotpedia Campaign finance at FEC Campaign finance at OpenSecrets

Official campaign websites for first district candidates Rod Blum (R) for Congress Abby Finkenauer (D) for Congress

Official campaign websites for second district candidates Daniel Clark (G) for Congress Dave Loebsack (D) for Congress Dr. Christopher Peters (R) for Congress

Official campaign websites for third district candidates David Young (R) for Congress

Official campaign websites for fourth district candidates Steve King (R) for Congress JD Scholten (D) for Congress