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The largest super PAC supporting House Republicans will spend a million dollars on a late advertisement meant to bolster Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa), one of the most vulnerable incumbents facing reelection this year. The Congressional Leadership Fund said Tuesday it would pay for advertising that paints state Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D) as a pawn of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.

It is a privilege to live in a country where someone like myself, raised by parents with 10th grade educations, can live the American dream. I am a small businessman, a coach, a father, a husband -- not a career politician. I ran for office because I believe in the American dream -- the faith that education, initiative, and hard work can earn anyone a better life in this country -- is a dream worth defending. I was raised to believe that in America, the greatest country on Earth, each of us has a voice in our government. This is...

Twenty-five Republicans rebelled against John Boehner (R-Ohio), who won a third term as Speaker on Tuesday. The 25 Republicans, including three freshmen, didn't coalesce around a single alternative candidate. Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), whose nomination for Speaker became public just minutes before the vote, attracted the most votes at 12. Meanwhile, the other two long-shot candidates, Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) and Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) only received three and two votes each. Additionally, freshman Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas) voted "present" rather than voting for anyone. And two Republican lawmakers voted for people who aren't even members of the House: Rep. Gary...

Voting against the speaker’s reelection may have cost one Iowa Republican his seat. John Boehner has found ways to punish the fractious conservatives who have formed into a thorn in his side since attempting a coup at the beginning of the year. Through means both petty and significant, Boehner has made his displeasure felt while trying to lead the broader conference in a series of high-profile legislative fights. A number of rebel backbenchers have had their overseas travel curtailed and their committee posts threatened or even taken away. But the treatment of one lawmaker in particular stands out: Colleagues worry...

Iowa Republican Rep. Rod Blum’s re-election effort is not getting much support from his party. But that’s just fine with him. The freshman Republican alienated himself from some of his GOP colleagues after he cast his first vote in Congress against John A. Boehner’s speakership — despite getting Boehner’s support in his 2014 bid for Iowa’s 1st District. And while Blum admits his vote has hurt his relationship with groups such as the National Republican Congressional Committee, he says there are other outlets he can turn to for support.The vote has, “been a problem as far as the NRCC goes,” Blum told CQ Roll Call on Wednesday. “I’ve always believed that when one...

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, whose path to the Republican nomination requires a breakout performance in Iowa, has quickly recruited more than a dozen party leaders for his statewide campaign, who are to be announced in coming days, according to people told of the choices. Most significantly, Mr. Cruz has peeled away three leaders of the Libertarian faction in the state, known as the Liberty movement, who are the base of Senator Rand Paul’s support in Iowa. They included state Senator Jason Shultz, who endorsed Representative Ron Paul for president in 2012; and two former members of the state Republican...

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa – An early Saturday morning political event on an unusually warm February day might not be the ideal conditions to draw a good crowd. However, 140 Marshall County Republicans packed into the Legends American Grill in Marshalltown to hear their new representative in Congress, Rod Blum, and likely presidential candidate Rand Paul. Most of Rod Blum’s brief remarks focused on his tangle with President Obama’s budget director, Shaun Donovan, last week on Capitol Hill. Iowa’s new First District representative also relayed his controversial first vote in Congress, supporting Daniel Webster over John Boehner for House speaker. Many in...

The politically savvy state of Iowa prides itself on purple voting, boasting a congressional delegation evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. But this year, with a closely matched Senate race and three competitive House seats, the GOP sees an opportunity to turn the state a vibrant shade of red. Big bucks and big-name politicians are helping the effort. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was in Cedar Falls Wednesday, stumping for Republican businessman Rod Blum, who is running against Democratic state lawmaker Pat Murphy in the 1st Congressional District, which includes parts of eastern and northeastern Iowa. The seat is open because...

The political arm for House Republicans says it is making a play for Iowa's 1st and 2nd congressional district seats. The National Republican Congressional Committee said Monday that it's buying $1.3 million in television ad time in the two districts, with spots to begin airing Friday. The purchase, the first for the NRCC in both districts this campaign cycle, is a sign they think they can win both races, officials say. Tyler Houlton, an NRCC spokesman, said more than $900,000 is being spent in the 2nd District, with purchases in the Cedar Rapids and Davenport markets. Another $400,000 is going...

Gannett paper, link: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/louisiana/2014/08/28/jindal-cruz-headline-september-iowa-gop-event/14735161/

Every election cycle tells a story, but the storyline for the 2014 general election is still being written. Republicans have longed believed that 2014 would be a Republican year in Iowa, especially with the absence of a presidential candidate at the top of the ticket. Strong fundraising from Democrats seeking federal office, especially Congressman Bruce Braley who wasn’t challenged for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat that Sen. Tom Harkin is vacating, made it look like Iowa was leaning Democrat in the 2014 U.S. Senate race. A month into the general election, Braley’s campaign seems adrift, and Republican...

Republican First Congressional District nominee Rod Blum exuded confidence as he spoke to the crowd of more than 1,400 delegates at the Iowa GOP state convention earlier this month. The Dubuque businessman faces an uphill fight in November, but Blum believes it’s a fight he can win. “Is it a great time to be a Republican or what?” Blum asked the crowd upon taking the podium. “We have got a great lineup this year. This is our time. Our energy is high. The crowd turnouts have been tremendous as we’ve travelled around eastern Iowa and we’re going to do it...