Roll Call Said Rep. Steve King On a Short List of Those Least Likely to Return and Declares Iowa Races Competitive

Iowa District U.S. Congressman Steve King, R-Kiron, has been called one of five Republican incumbents least likely to return to Congress, according to the politcal publication Roll Call.

King's 4th District race against challenger Christie Vilsack, a Democrat from Ames, has become tougher than originally thought, so says the analysis of political publication Roll Call, which declared in a story published Thursday that all of the Iowa races at the U.S. Congressional level appear competitive. Even comfortable incumbents like Dave Loebsack should receive tough challenges this fall. This is perhaps not so surprising in a state that couldn't be much more evenly divided politically, added to redistricting and a lot of attention in a presidential election year.

Here's what Roll Call had to say about King's chances at re-election:

 “GOP internal polling shows a single-digit race with King picking up less than 50 percent of the vote. This week, one plugged-in national Republican privately named King as one of the five GOP incumbents most likely to not return to Congress next year.” 

Rollcall said Gov. Terry Branstad became personally involved in King's campaign by sending two of his top staffers to run King's campaign and communications operation this spring. Des Moines donors followed and King has "raised more so far for this race than in his past two campaigns combined."

The cashflow may not be enough however:

POLITICO reported, that “National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions had a ‘Come to Jesus’ talk to Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) on the House floor Tuesday.”

King and Vilsack will match up for another debate 7 p.m. Monday at the Windsor Theatre, 103 North Federal Street in Hampton. Tickets are required but people can listen online at: www.HamptonIowa.org