The race for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District seat in the House of Representatives, which includes Mason City, Spencer, Fort Dodge, Ames, and Sioux City, is between Republican incumbent Steve King and Democratic challenger Jim Mowrer. King possesses extensive political experience, having previously held the position of congressman for six-consecutive terms as well as previously serving in the Iowa Senate from 1996-2002. The first five of King’s terms as congressman were in Iowa’s 5th District; redistricting motivated King into Iowa’s 4th District in 2012.
King ran unopposed in the Republican primary in his 2012 bid and did the same this year. Mowrer also ran without a challenger in the Democratic primary, and he hopes to unseat the incumbent in his first run at Congress. King’s established political standing and the advantage of tenured incumbency will more than likely result in a victory over the newcomer.
King has 18 years of combined political experience under his belt between his time in the U.S House and the Iowa Senate. King’s background in agriculture and business-ownership makes him an ideal candidate to represent the crop-production-based constituency of Iowa’s 4th District. While he is by no means unqualified for the position, Mowrer’s particular set of skills do not necessarily translate as well to the specific needs of the congressional district. Mowrer has an extensive military background, having served his country in Iraq as part of the Iowa National Guard and later as a civilian working in the Pentagon.
Although Mowrer’s work experience demonstrates leadership ability, King brings to the table an array of skills that are directly applicable to the tangible needs of the voters in the 4th District. A small-business owner himself, King has made great efforts to assist the growth of small business in Iowa through his position on the House Committee on Small Business. Furthermore, King also has a position on the Agriculture Committee, ideal given that Iowa’s 4th District is one of the top agriculture-producing districts in the country.
King will more than likely come out on top in this election given the manner in which his political work caters to the constituency and the momentum already accumulated through multiple terms held in the very position he is running for. Mowrer has an uphill battle ahead of him in terms of taking out a comfortably seated incumbent such as King. Although it would be impressive and certainly an upset if Mowrer takes this election, it is unlikely, and we believe King should take his seat back in the 4th District.