Eastern Iowa has manufacturing and trade unions and a high proportion of Catholics, who all lean Democrat. For a Dem to win statewide, eastern Iowa has to come through big for the candidate.
Blum in northeast Iowa was against the grain: A Tea Party type in a Dem/RINO district.
David Young’s CD 3 is always going to be a swing district with close races either way if candidates are good.
We are in district 3 which includes metro DM, unfortunately. I don’t understand Iowa. I really don’t.
Blum really was an anomaly, and once Paul Ryan decided to punish him - after he didn't toe Ryan's mark - he was basically on his own without a dime from the GOP... and the Democrats took advantage of it.