2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa

The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014, 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 elections of other federal and state offices, including Governor of Iowa and United States Senate. Primary elections were held on June 4, 2014. As no candidate won more than 35% of the vote in the 3rd district Republican primary, that nomination was decided at a party convention on June 21.

2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa

← 2012November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04)2016 →

All 4 Iowa seats to the United States House of Representatives
 Majority partyMinority party
 
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Last election22
Seats won31
Seat changeIncrease 1Decrease 1
Popular vote595,865509,189
Percentage53.19%45.45%
SwingIncrease 5.92%Decrease 4.81%

Overview

2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa[1]
PartyVotesPercentageSeats beforeSeats after+/–
Republican595,86553.19%23+1
Democratic509,18945.45%21-1
Libertarian9,0540.81%00-
Independents4,3600.39%00
Write-ins18660.17%00
Totals1,120,334 100.00%44-

By district

Results of the 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa by district:[2]

DistrictRepublicanDemocraticOthersTotalResult
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%
District 1147,76251.07%141,14548.79%3990.14%289,306100%Republican gain
District 2129,45547.36%143,43152.48%4430.16%273,329100%Democratic hold
District 3148,81452.76%119,10942.23%14,1435.01%282,066100%Republican hold
District 4169,83461.62%105,50438.28%2950.11%275,633100%Republican hold
Total595,86553.19%509,18945.45%15,2801.36%1,120,334100%

District 1

2014 Iowa's 1st congressional district election

← 2012
2016 →
 
NomineeRod BlumPat Murphy
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Popular vote147,762141,145
Percentage51.1%48.8%

County results
Blum:      50–60%      60–70%
Vernon:      50–60%

U.S. Representatives before election

Bruce Braley
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representatives

Rod Blum
Republican

Democratic Representative Bruce Braley won re-election in 2012. He would not run for re-election in 2014, as he instead ran for the United States Senate seat being vacated by fellow Democrat Tom Harkin, who was retiring.[3]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Pat Murphy, state representative and former Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives[4]
Eliminated in primary
Declined

Endorsements

Swati Dandekar
Anesa Kajtazovic
State legislators
Labor unions
Organizations
Individuals
Monica Vernon
State legislators
Labor unions
  • Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Building Trades Council[22]

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Swati
Dandekar
Anesa
Kajtazovic
Pat
Murphy
Dave
O'Brien
Monica
Vernon
Undecided
Loras CollegeMay 14–15, 2014300± 5.7%11%9%35%3%11%30%
Loras CollegeApril 10–11, 2014300± 5.7%9%11%30%6%9%35%
Myers Research (D-Murphy)February 11–13, 2014400± 4.9%13%11%36%8%17%15%

Results

Democratic primary results[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticPat Murphy 10,189 36.7
DemocraticMonica Vernon6,55923.6
DemocraticSwati Dandekar5,07618.3
DemocraticAnesa Kajtazovic4,06714.7
DemocraticDave O'Brien1,8466.7
DemocraticWrite-ins180.0
Total votes27,755 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary
  • Gail Boliver, attorney[25]
  • Steve Rathje, businessman[26]
Withdrawn
Declined

Endorsements

Rod Blum
Individuals
Steve Rathje
Individuals
Walt Rogers
U.S. Senators
U.S. Representatives
State legislators
Organizations

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Rod
Blum
Gail
Boliver
Steve
Rathje
Undecided
Loras CollegeMay 15, 2014300± 5.65%31%2%16%51%
Loras CollegeApril 8–9, 2014300± 5.65%17%2%12%69%

Results

Republican primary results[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanRod Blum 16,886 54.9
RepublicanSteve Rathje11,42037.1
RepublicanGail Boliver2,4137.9
RepublicanWrite-ins420.1
Total votes30,761 100.0

General election

Endorsements

Rod Blum (R)
Organizations
Individuals

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Pat
Murphy (D)
Rod
Blum (R)
Undecided
Loras CollegeOctober 21–24, 2014282± 5.9%42%44%14%
New York Times/CBS News Battleground TrackerOctober 16–23, 2014633± 7.0%47%39%14%
The Polling Company (R-Blum)October 1–2, 201430039%40%21%
Loras CollegeSeptember 2–5, 2014300± 5.6%35%33%32%
The Polling Company (R-Blum)August 11–12, 2014401± 4.9%40%35%24%
Myers Research (D-Murphy)July 31–August 4, 2014400± 4.9%51%40%8%

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report[40]TossupNovember 3, 2014
Rothenberg[41]TossupOctober 24, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[42]Lean DOctober 30, 2014
RCPTossupNovember 2, 2014
Daily Kos Elections[43]TossupNovember 4, 2014

Results

Iowa's 1st congressional district, 2014[44]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanRod Blum 147,762 51.1
DemocraticPat Murphy141,14548.8
n/aWrite-ins3990.1
Total votes289,306 100
Republican gain from Democratic

District 2

2014 Iowa's 2nd congressional district election

← 2012 ()2016 →
 
NomineeDave LoebsackMariannette Miller-Meeks
PartyDemocraticRepublican
Popular vote143,431129,455
Percentage52.5%47.4%

County results
Loebsack:      50–60%      60–70%
Peters:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. Representative before election

Dave Loebsack
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Dave Loebsack
Democratic

Democratic representative David Loebsack had represented Iowa's 2nd district since 2007. He was elected to a fourth term in 2012 against Republican John Archer with 56% of the vote.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Democratic primary results[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticDavid Loebsack (incumbent) 17,154 99.3
DemocraticWrite-ins1170.7
Total votes17,371 100

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Mark
Lofgren
Mariannette
Miller-Meeks
Matthew C.
Waldren
Undecided
Loras CollegeMay 13–14, 2014300± 5.65%12%36%52%
Loras CollegeApril 9–10, 2014300± 5.65%11%18%1%70%

Results

Republican primary results[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanMariannette Miller-Meeks 15,043 49.4
RepublicanMark S. Lofgren11,63438.2
RepublicanMatthew C. Waldren3,74612.3
RepublicanWrite-ins520.1
Total votes30,475 100.0

General election

Endorsements

Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R)
Organizations

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dave
Loebsack (D)
Mariannette
Miller-Meeks (R)
Undecided
Loras CollegeOctober 21–24, 2014279± 5.85%51%38%11%
New York Times/CBS News Battleground TrackerOctober 16–23, 2014552± 7.0%49%35%16%
Loras CollegeSeptember 2–5, 2014300± 5.6%49%32%19%
The Tarrance Group (R-Miller-Meeks)August 3–5, 2014400± 4.9%45%42%13%

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report[40]Lean DNovember 3, 2014
Rothenberg[41]Lean DOctober 24, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[42]Lean DOctober 30, 2014
RCPLean DNovember 2, 2014
Daily Kos Elections[43]Lean DNovember 4, 2014

Results

Iowa's 2nd congressional district, 2014[44]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticDave Loebsack (incumbent) 143,431 52.5
RepublicanMariannette Miller-Meeks129,45547.4
n/aWrite-ins4430.1
Total votes273,329 100.0
Democratic hold

District 3

2014 Iowa's 3rd congressional district election

← 2012
2016 →
 
NomineeDavid YoungStaci Appel
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Popular vote148,814119,109
Percentage52.8%42.2%

County results
Young:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Appel:      40–50%

U.S. Representative before election

Tom Latham
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

David Young
Republican

Prior to the 2012 elections, Republican Representative Tom Latham and Democratic Representative Leonard Boswell were redistricted into the same district. Though Barack Obama carried the district in the 2012 presidential election, Latham defeated Boswell. Latham planned to retire in 2014.[48]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary
Declined

Endorsements

Robert Cramer
Individuals
  • Steve Deace, talk radio host[67]
Matt Schultz
U.S. Senators
State legislators
Organizations
David Young
U.S. Representatives
State officials
  • Richard Johnson, former State Auditor[71]
Local officials

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Robert
Cramer
Joe
Grandanette
Matt
Schultz
Monte
Shaw
David
Young
Brad
Zaun
Undecided
Loras CollegeMay 14, 2014300± 5.65%8%2%8%5%8%17%51%
Loras CollegeApril 8–10, 2014300± 5.65%7%2%8%5%3%17%59%

Results

Republican primary results[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanBrad Zaun10,52224.7
RepublicanRobert Cramer9,03221.2
RepublicanMatt Schultz8,46419.9
RepublicanMonte Shaw7,22017.0
RepublicanDavid Young6,60415.5
RepublicanJoe Grandanette6611.6
RepublicanWrite-ins420.1
Total votes42,545 100.0

Convention

The Republican nomination was decided by a convention after none of the six candidates reached the 35 percent threshold required to make the general election ballot. This was the second time in 50 years that a convention picked a nominee and the first time since 2002, when then-State Senator Steve King won a convention held in Iowa's 5th congressional district to decide the Republican nominee for Congress.[72] A poll conducted by the conservative website Caffeinated Thoughts of 118 of the 513 delegates was held on June 9–10. David Young and Brad Zaun took 27% each, with Robert Cramer on 19%, Monte Shaw on 14%, Matt Schultz on 8% and Joe Grandanette on 3% with another 3% undecided. 34% chose Young as their second choice, with 17% choosing Cramer, Schultz or Zaun, 10% picking Shaw and 3% picking Grandanette with 8% undecided.[73]

On June 21, in what was described as a "stunning upset", David Young won the nomination on the fifth ballot of the convention.[74]

On July 4, Zaun voiced his disappointment and suggested he would leave the Republican Party, leading some to encourage him to run for the seat as an independent. He had previously announced that he would introduce legislation to hold primary runoff elections instead of conventions.[75] On July 10, Zaun announced that despite his frustrations, he would not leave the Republican Party or run as an independent.[76]

Iowa Republican Convention, 2014[77]
CandidateRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5
David Young86(16.8%)81(15.8%)102(19.9%)171(33.3%)276(53.8%)
Brad Zaun130(25.3%)157(30.6%)188(36.6%)206(40.2%)221(43.1%)
Monte Shaw118(23%)122(23.8%)126(24.6%)120(23.4%)
Matt Schultz95(18.5%)88(17.2%)85(16.6%)
Robert Cramer75(14.6%)60(11.7%)
Joe Grandanette7(1.4%)2(0.4%)
Abstentions2(0.4%)3(0.6%)12(2.3%)16(3.1%)16(3.1%)
Total513(100%)513(100%)513(100%)513(100%)513(100%)

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
Withdrawn
  • Gabriel De La Cerda, former tire factory worker[79]
  • Michael Sherzan, businessman[80][81]
Declined

Results

Democratic primary results[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticStaci Appel 9,233 99.2
DemocraticWrite-ins750.8
Total votes9,308 100.0

General election

Endorsements

David Young (R)
U.S. Representatives
State officials
Organizations

Debates

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
David
Young (R)
Staci
Appel (D)
Edward
Wright (L)
Undecided
Loras CollegeOctober 21–24, 2014280± 5.9%46%44%0%10%
New York Times/CBS News Battleground TrackerOctober 16–23, 2014653± 6.0%40%40%1%18%
Remington ResearchOctober 11–13, 2014663± 3.8%46%42%5%7%
Greenberg Quinlan RosnerOctober 1–2, 2014400± 4.9%42%49%9%
Greenberg Quinlan RosnerSeptember 15–17, 2014400± 5%44%47%9%
Loras CollegeSeptember 2–5, 2014300± 5.6%34%40%25%

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report[40]TossupNovember 3, 2014
Rothenberg[41]TossupOctober 24, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[42]Lean ROctober 30, 2014
RCPTossupNovember 2, 2014
Daily Kos Elections[43]TossupNovember 4, 2014

Results

Iowa's 3rd congressional district, 2014[44]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanDavid Young 148,814 52.8
DemocraticStaci Appel119,10942.2
LibertarianEdward Wright9,0543.2
IndependentBryan Jack Holder4,3601.5
n/aWrite-ins7290.3
Total votes282,066 100.0
Republican hold

District 4

2014 Iowa's 4th congressional district election

← 2012
2016 →
 
NomineeSteve KingJim Mowrer
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Popular vote169,834105,504
Percentage61.6%38.3%

County results
King:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Weaver:      50–60%

U.S. Representative before election

Steve King
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Steve King
Republican

Republican Representative Steve King won re-election in the 4th district in 2012, after serving in the now defunct Iowa's 5th congressional district.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Republican primary results[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSteve King (incumbent) 43,098 99.1
RepublicanWrite-ins3820.9
Total votes43,480 100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
Declined

Results

Democratic primary results[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticJim Mowrer 9,900 99.6
DemocraticWrite-ins420.4
Total votes9,942 100.0

General election

Endorsements

Jim Mowrer (D)
Organizations

Debates

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Steve
King (R)
Jim
Mowrer (D)
Undecided
Loras CollegeOctober 21–24, 2014280± 5.85%51%39%11%
New York Times/CBS News Battleground TrackerOctober 16–23, 2014484± 7.0%49%41%10%
The Polling Company (R-King)October 1–2, 2014407± 4.9%51%38%11%
DFM ResearchSeptember 20–23, 2014450± 4.6%46%43%11%
Loras CollegeSeptember 2–5, 2014300± 5.6%47%36%17%

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report[40]Safe RNovember 3, 2014
Rothenberg[41]Safe ROctober 24, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[42]Safe ROctober 30, 2014
RCPLikely RNovember 2, 2014
Daily Kos Elections[43]Likely RNovember 4, 2014

Results

Iowa's 4th congressional district, 2014[44]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanSteve King (incumbent) 169,834 61.6
DemocraticJim Mowrer105,50438.3
n/aWrite-ins2950.1
Total votes275,633 100.0
Republican hold

See also

References

External links