Campaign Almanac: Debates for Eastern Iowa Congressional races

The candidates competing to represent Eastern Iowa’s two Congressional districts are set to debate this fall.

There was no such luck in Western Iowa’s lone Congressional district.

State Rep. Christina Bohannan, a Democrat from Iowa City, is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican from Ottumwa, in Eastern Iowa’s new 1st Congressional District. Their debate, hosted by Iowa PBS’ “Iowa Press,” will be 7 p.m. Sept. 26.

In Eastern Iowa’s new 2nd District, Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, and challenger Liz Mathis, a Democrat from Hiawatha, agreed to an Iowa PBS debate at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18.

There will be no Iowa PBS debate for Western Iowa’s 4th District, because Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra declined the station’s debate invitation without reason, Iowa PBS spokeswoman Susan Ramsey told the Sioux City Journal.

Since Democratic challenger Ryan Melton had accepted Iowa PBS’ invitation to debate Feenstra, Melton will instead appear as a guest on Iowa PBS’ “Iowa Press” program. The episode with Melton will air at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 23 and noon on Sept. 25.

In the race for governor, Republican incumbent Kim Reynolds agreed to a debate with Democratic challenger Deidre DeJear at 7 p.m. on Oct. 17.

NEW BOHANNAN AD: In her second ad, Democratic challenger in Iowa’s 1st District Christina Bohannan focused on rising prices.

Bohannan is seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican from Ottumwa. It’s Bohannan’s second ad in what the campaign said would be a $1.7 million ad campaign until Nov. 8.

In the ad, she takes aim at Miller-Meeks, saying “prices keep going up and my opponent won’t do anything about it.”

“I’m Christina Bohannan, and here’s what I’ll do. I’ll crack down on China’s unfair trade practices, big oil companies gouging us at the pump, and corporations unfairly jacking up prices and freeze the gas tax.”

Miller-Meeks released her first ad earlier this week as part of what her campaign said would be a $2 million ad campaign through Election Day.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau