Former campaign aide plans to challenge Blum in 2016

CEDAR RAPIDS - Four months after helping elect Republican U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, Jack Melton is throwing his hat into the ring - as a challenger to Blum's re-election in 2016.

Melton, who was Blum's field director during the Dubuque businessman's 2014 campaign, said he would rather take a similar role in 2016 with one of the Democrats planning to challenge Blum, but they have been reluctant to hire him.

'So I'm running as an independent,” said Melton, 39, of Marion. 'I'm an independent thinker and have always been an independent voter.”

Although he started a conservative advocacy group, the Red Elephant Club, in January, Melton describes himself as socially liberal.

'I'm sick of the Republican hate speech toward homosexuals, anti-immigration and desire to govern women's uteruses,” Melton said. He was disappointed that Blum campaigned as a libertarian, but bragged about being pro-life. 'What's with that?”

On economic, foreign policy and military issues he is a 'really, really conservative Democrat,” Melton said. 'Reagan would be considered one today. He'd be called a RINO (Republican in Name Only) today.”

His biggest beef with Blum, however, is over statements he claims Blum made about people who serve in the military getting more respect than they deserve.

'When an elected official thinks it's more honorable to create 325 jobs and be Iowa Entrepreneur of the Year than it is to serve in the military like Mr. Blum expressed to me, well, he doesn't deserve the privilege to serve our country that is protected by our military men and women,” Melton said.

Blum started a business that created 325 jobs and was named the 1994 Iowa Entrepreneur of the Year in the high tech category.

He also claims Blum accused Iowans of class envy and being jealous of his success.

Just as he responded to announcements by Vernon and Patel, Blum spokesman Keegan Conway said the congressman is '100 percent focused on the job Eastern Iowans elected him to do in November - working hard to increase opportunities for working families, holding the federal government accountable to the people, and reducing burdens on small businesses so our economy can get back on track.”

Melton said he talked to the Iowa Democratic Party, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee about working for them in 2016. He also contacted the campaigns of Monica Vernon and Ravi Patel, who are seeking the Democratic nomination in Iowa's 20-county 1st District about working for them. Not surprisingly, he said, they declined to hire him.

Melton said he also contacted 2014 Democratic nominee Pat Murphy about running again. Others, including Gary Kroeger of Cedar Falls, also are considering the race.

He also considered running as a Democrat before deciding to seek election as an independent.

As an independent candidate Melton expects to be 'beaten to death.”

'To be honest with you, it's not about me winning. It's about beating Rod,” he said. 'I do not want him to win.

'I will attack Rod on all fronts and leave my Democratic opponents alone,” he said. 'That's how important this is to me.”

Even without a conservative independent challenger, Blum is considered vulnerable because of his narrow margin of victory. He beat Murphy 147,762 to 141,145 in a district President Barack Obama carried with 56 percent of the vote in 2012.