Abby Finkenauer says she’s running for Congress to represent hard-working Iowans who just want “enough money at the end of the week to send their kids to baseball and softball practice and buy a case of beer.”
Rod Blum, the two-term Republican incumbent she hopes to unseat, is a self-made millionaire who often talks about how he grew up in poverty and has criticized fellow members of Congress who use taxpayer money to fly first-class or lease luxury cars. …
Of the 20 counties in Iowa’s 1st District, 15 moved from Obama to Trump. More than 200 of these “pivot counties” exist nationwide, but they are heavily concentrated in the Upper Midwest. Political strategists are watching voters in these counties for clues about how they might vote in future elections and what messages from candidates they will find most compelling. CONT.
Jenna Johnson, Washington Post