Iowa Congressional rivals Loebsack, Peters color outside the lines

Ten years ago, Dave Loebsack pulled off a huge upset.

The college professor and longtime Democratic activist upended 15-term Rep. Jim Leach, vaulting into Congress.

Even as Republicans have lampooned him over the years — calling him ineffective at governing, fundraising and more — Loebsack has continued to win. He even survived two Republican wave elections, in 2010 and 2014.

So, in this presidential election year, with an electorate more favorable to Democrats than in off-years, Loebsack would seem to be facing less of a challenge.

His rival this year, however, is different from any he has faced.

Dr. Christopher Peters, a surgeon from Coralville, is like other Republicans in that he says the federal government is too large and the national debt is out of control. But he also opposes making abortion illegal, supports same-sex marriage and considers U.S. foreign policy in the past 15 years, including during the Bush years, as too interventionist.

He faults the Affordable Care Act, but shies away from vowing to torpedo the whole thing.

'It's not where I would start,' he says.

In some ways, Peters has Libertarian views. In 2010, in fact, he ran for the Iowa Legislature under the Libertarian banner. But Peters, who says he has spent most of his life as a Republican, adds his heterodox party resume is indicative of how he would approach the job of congressman.

'I'm an independent, thoughtful guy,' he says.

He also is breaking from much of the GOP leadership in saying he won't vote for Donald Trump for president.

The 24-county House 2nd District leans Democratic. President Barack Obama won 56 percent of its vote in 2012, and there were 25,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans.

Still, the district has some diversity. It encompasses the liberal areas around the University of Iowa in Johnson County along with the more traditional blue-collar manufacturing areas around Burlington, Fort Madison, Clinton and the Quad Cities. There also are a slew of rural counties, including some of the poorest parts of the state along its southern border with Missouri.

Loebsack traditionally has relied most heavily on big margins of victory in Johnson County.

But he also has a voting record that sometimes strays from the liberal line. He has sought to appeal to more swing parts of the district, including Scott County. And in an interview, he stressed he is 'one of the few rural Democrats left in Congress,' touting work on legislation to expand broadband to rural nursing homes.

He also argues he works harder than most to reach across the aisle.

'That's what folks tell us they want us to do,' he says.

That willingness to reach out to, and at times vote with, Republicans has landed Loebsack in hot water with some progressives, most notably for a vote in the House last year on a bill that would have increased the hoops the Obama administration had to jump through to admit Syrian refugees.

Critics on the left called it a way to block refugees from entering the country. But Loebsack defended the legislation, which didn't pass, saying that, contrary to what he called overblown claims, it would erect just 'another layer of security' against potential terrorist acts.

Loebsack calls for more investments in education and infrastructure to help with the economy but stops short of arguing for free college tuition, as Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has for students at community colleges and some others.

He also voted for the Affordable Care Act, which has reduced the ranks of the uninsured by record numbers. But he acknowledges that premiums and out-of-pocket costs for many are too high.

Loebsack says the way to help with that is to establish a 'public option,' or a government-run insurer that would compete with private companies.

Peters takes a different tack on health care. He won't go so far as to say he would repeal the Affordable Care Act but adds he would loosen some of the minimum benefit requirements and rely more on a market-driven system. He said he would rely on encouraging high-deductible insurance plans and health savings accounts.

That would include providing assistance 'for those who need it,' he said. It's an approach to health care, he says, that he favors for the Medicaid program, too.

Peters said he thinks a more market-driven system would be better at containing costs.

The two also clash over the Renewable Fuel Standard, a federal requirement that a certain amount of renewables be mixed with the nation's fuel supply.

Peters said ultimately he would like to see the RFS — and all energy subsidies — eliminated.

'We're distorting incentives,' he said.

In this area, Loebsack said the two have significant differences.

'He has said when it comes to energy that he's not for picking winners and losers. If you're not for picking winners and losers on energy, then you're not for the Renewable Fuel Standard,' Loebsack said. He argues is the same as 'not supporting our farmers.'

Peters, however, said that although he would like to see the subsidies go away, he agrees it's not politically practical.

'In the absence comprehensive energy reform, I would likely vote to extend the RFS,' he said.

Peters faults Loebsack for having supported U.S. involvement in Libya, which he called 'a bad move.'

Loebsack was critical of the U.S. involvement in toppling Moammar Gadhafi, and in 2011 voted for a resolution opposing U.S. ground troops there. But he also voted against a separate measure that would have directed the Obama administration to remove all forces.

Loebsack's office said he voted against the measure because it made no allowance for intelligence, surveillance and other operations, and he feared it would endanger the lives of U.S. forces.

So far, there have been few joint appearances of the two candidates. They appeared together Oct. 10 at a forum in Coralville, and squared off in an Oct. 14 debate on Iowa Public Television.

Loebsack holds a healthy lead over Peters in fundraising this election cycle. Through the end of September, the congressman had raised $1.5 million and had roughly $962,000 in the bank. About 40 percent came from individual contributions, with the rest coming from political action committees.

Peters had raised about $127,000, with $42,000 of that money coming from his own pocket, including $30,000 in loans. He had about $35,000 in the bank at the end of September.

DAVE LOEBSACK

Age: 63

Party: Democrat

Residence: Iowa City

Occupation: Congressman; former political science professor, Cornell College

Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees in political science, Iowa State University; Ph.D., political science, University of California, Davis

Family: Married, with four grown children and three grandchildren

CHRISTOPHER PETERS

Age: 56

Party: Republican

Residence: Coralville

Occupation: Physician; owner, Corridor Surgery

Education: Bachelor's degree, University of Kansas; MD, University of Kansas

Family: Married with three teenage sons