Vernon gets Emily’s List backing in Iowa 1st District race

CEDAR RAPIDS - Monica Vernon will become the first 2016 U.S. House candidate endorsed by Emily's List, the largest resource for pro-choice, Democratic women in politics.

Vernon, a Cedar Rapids City Council member and former business owner, will receive the endorsement this morning of the political action committee with a network of more than 3 million people.

Vernon, 57, 'has what it takes to fight for Iowa women and families in Washington,” according to Emily's List President Stephanie Schriock.

'She is committed to helping create jobs and championing common-sense policies like equal pay for women that give working families a fair shot,” she added.

Vernon called the endorsement 'awesome news,” adding that Emily's List is a 'driving force for change.”

The endorsement is likely to change the race for the Democratic nomination in the 20-county northeast Iowa congressional district where Democrats enjoy a voter registration advantage, but lost the seat in the 2014 midterm election.

Emily's List has raised more than $400 million to support pro-choice Democratic female candidates since its founding in 1985, making it one of the most successful political action committees in the country.

While it did not get involved in the 2014 1st District race when Vernon finished second in the primary, it did support her unsuccessful statewide race for lieutenant governor last year.

Iowa's 1st is an important pickup target for Democrats, who appear to have as many as four candidates seeking the nomination to face Republic Rod Blum.

Democrat Bruce Braley held the seat for four terms and the party has a 21,500 advantage in active voter registrations.

In addition to Vernon, Ravi Patel, a Cedar Rapids businessman, has entered the race. Swati Dandekar, a former Marion legislator and utilities commissioner, and Gary Kroeger, a Cedar Falls advertising executive, both say they plan to join the race soon.

Blum, 59, has acknowledged he has a target on his back in the typically Democratic-performing district where he won by 6,617 votes or 49.9 percent to 47.4 percent.

Vernon drove home that point when she announced her candidacy before Blum was sworn into office.