Iowa 1st District considered vital to Democratic House majority

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Democratic majority in the U.S. House could start in northeast Iowa.

That was the message from a Wisconsin congressman who spoke to campaign volunteers Sunday at a get-out-the-vote rally for Monica Vernon.

Vernon, a former business owner and two-term member of the Cedar Rapids City Council, is seeking the Democratic nomination in Iowa's 1st District. She faces former Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy of Dubuque in the June 7 primary election. The winner will face first-term Republican Rep. Rod Blum of Dubuque.

Rep. Mark Pocan, a Wisconsin Democrat, called Vernon 'without a doubt one of the most exceptional candidates we have running.”

'She has a clear record of accomplishing things,” he told volunteers who were heading out to knock on doors. Pocan's backing is significant because two years ago he backed Murphy in the Democratic primary.

Also important to the vice chairman of the 72-member Congressional Progressive Caucus is Vernon's prospects of flipping the 1st District from Republican to Democratic. Democrats need to pick up 30 seats to take control of the U.S. House.

'We're starting to refer to the ‘Trump jump,' ” he said. 'As you look at the 30 seats, there are some really good prospects, and some you hope to come into play. This is at the top of that list. If this seat doesn't flip, there is no way the House majority is flipping.

'So we have an opportunity to elect not only one of the best candidates in the country, but take that first seat back to getting that majority,” Pocan said.