March 28, 2024

Loebsack sent back to Washington with Democratic majority

Peters pulls narrow win in Jasper County vote

Voters in Iowa’s 2nd U.S. Congressional District have decided to send Democratic Rep. Dave Loebsack back to Washington, D.C. for a seventh term.

With more than 92 percent of counties reporting, the Iowa City Democrat defeated two-time challenger Dr. Christopher Peters, R-Coralville, in Tuesday night’s election, 55.06 percent to 42.34 percent.

As of presstime Tuesday, results show a larger margin of victory for Loebsack than in 2016. The first time the two squared off for the U.S. House seat, Loebsack beat the former Libertarian Peters 53.7 percent to 46.2 percent.

For Loebsack, Tuesday’s election is about moving forward. When he is sworn in January, this will be this first time Loebsack’s been a part of the House majority since 2010 when Republicans last took control of the chamber. In a phone interview Tuesday night from Iowa City, the Loebsack said he will use his seniority on the House Energy and Commerce Committees to focus on expanding jobs in the U.S.

“I feel good and happy that people of the second district will send me back (to Washington) for two more years,” he said.

As the majority party in the House of Representatives, the Democrats will now have control of the impeachment process. As pressure increases on President Donald Trump and the special counsel investigation on Russian interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, some on the left are calling for impeachment papers to be drafted. On Tuesday, Loebsack said he wants to wait for Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s final report before taking that step.

“I think that’s something we should be thinking about — if at all — only after Mueller’s investigation is complete,” Loebsack said. “We need to give him the space, time and resources to complete that.”

Although Loebsack won the district, Peters narrowly came out on top in Jasper County in a good night for local Republicans. According to unofficial results from the Jasper County Auditor’s Office, Peters won 48.76 percent of the local vote to Loebsack’s 48.11 percent.

At a late October rally, Peters told the Newton Daily News he is planning another run for the seat in 2020.

Contact Mike Mendenhall at 641-792-3121 Ext 6530 or at mmendenhall@newtondailynews.com