2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa

The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the state's four U.S. representatives. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election. Primary elections were held on June 5, 2012.

The new congressional map, drawn by the state's Legislative Services Agency and passed with bipartisan support in the state House of Representatives and Senate, was signed into law by Governor Terry Branstad on April 19, 2011. Reflecting population shifts recorded in the 2010 United States census, the new map decreases Iowa's representation from five congressional districts to four.

District 1
Bruce Braley, a Democrat the incumbent representative from the 1st district in northeastern Iowa since 2007, ran in the new 1st district. Fellow incumbent Dave Loebsack, who lived within the boundaries of the new 1st district in Linn County, but who had represented southeastern Iowa's 2nd district since 2007, moved to Johnson County and ran in the new 2nd district. The 1st district has become more favorable to Democrats with the inclusion of Linn County and its loss of Scott County. Braley won the Democratic nomination unopposed.

Nominee

 * Bruce Braley, incumbent U.S. Representative

Declined

 * Dave Loebsack, incumbent U.S. Representative for the 2nd district

Nominee

 * Ben Lange, attorney and nominee for this seat in 2010

Eliminated in primary

 * Rod Blum, businessman

Withdrawn

 * Steve Rathje, businessman

District 2
None of Iowa's current members of Congress resided in the newly-drawn 2nd district; however, Democrat Dave Loebsack moved from Linn County to Johnson County in order to avoid a primary against Bruce Braley and continue representing southeastern Iowa. The 2nd district became slightly more favorable to Republicans as a result of the inclusion of Scott County, but retains Democratic-leaning Johnson County.

Nominee

 * Dave Loebsack, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Joe Seng, state senator

Nominee

 * John Archer, senior legal counsel at John Deere

Eliminated in primary

 * Dan Dolan, housing developer
 * Withdrew
 * Richard Gates, machinist and Tea Party activist

District 3
Leonard Boswell, a Democrat who represented the 3rd district in central Iowa since 1997, and Tom Latham, a Republican who represented the 4th district in northern and central Iowa since 1995, both ran in the new 3rd district. Latham, who lived in the new 4th district, moved south to avoid facing fellow Republican Steve King in a primary.

Nominee

 * Leonard Boswell, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Tom Latham, incumbent U.S. Representative

Campaign
Approximately half of the new 3rd district was at the time represented by Boswell, whereas the new 3rd district contained than 20 per cent of the area currently represented by Latham. However, Latham had $983,500 cash on hand at the end of March 2011, whereas Boswell had just $173,815.

Debates
The first debate was held October 10, 2012 at 7 pm, sponsored by KCCI and the Des Moines Register.


 * Complete video and transcript, C-SPAN, first debate, October 10, 2012

District 4
Steve King, a Republican represented western Iowa's 5th district since 2003, ran in the new 4th district. The new 4th district comprises mostly territory which King represented and which tends to vote for Republican candidates.

Nominee

 * Steve King, incumbent U.S. Representative

Declined

 * Tom Latham, incumbent U.S. Representative for the 4th district

Nominee

 * Christie Vilsack, former First Lady of Iowa

Independents
Martin James Monroe also ran.

Debates

 * Complete video of debate, September 27, 2012
 * Complete video of debate, October 25, 2012