One has to admire the gumption of Matt Campbell in challenging Steve King in Iowa's 5th Congressional District. Based upon voter registrations, the odds are stacked against a Democratic challenger to a Republican incumbent. On September 1, Secretary of State Michael Mauro recorded active registrations in the 5th District totaling 78,185 Democrats, 129,031 Republicans and 105,287 no preference. All the same, Campbell, a sixth generation Iowan and established attorney, jumped into the race, won a contested Democratic primary and is doing the work one would expect of a viable challenger. He is an underdog with hope for an upset.

Debates about issues tend to favor the challenger, so Representative King has avoided any formal candidate debates in the race. According to Campbell, “for the past 8 years, Representative King (R-IA) has not debated a single opponent since being elected.  He's always had an excuse, and now he has another one:  You have not 'earned' it.” This comment came on the heels of an unannounced appearance by Campbell at a King town hall meeting. Despite repeated requests to debate, Representative King says no.

The differences in this race could not be more striking.

King is the author of a discharge petition which would require the U.S. House of Representatives to vote on legislation calling for a 100% repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama in March 2010. On September 23, the effective date of some of the provisions of the law, Matt Campbell expressed his support for the legislation, saying, “that the Patient’s Bill of Rights in the Affordable Care Act in effect beginning today will greatly help Iowa working families and stop the worst of insurance company abuses.”

Campbell calls for “modifying the cap on which earnings are taxed for Social Security to keep the Social Security trust fund solvent.” The last five reports of the Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees have indicated the Social Security Trust fund will become exhausted between 2037 and 2041. Campbell charges, “Steve King is part of the crowd that wants to raise full retirement age for Social Security to age 70 or to reduce benefits.”

King says rewarding undocumented immigrants with amnesty is a violation of the biblical teaching to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.” King talks tough but has not accomplished anything on immigration, whereas Campbell is a strong law and order attorney who will get tough with bad actors such as companies that knowingly and illegally employ undocumented immigrants.

Check out Campbell's web site for a head-to-head match-up between him and the incumbent on issues.

Matt Campbell represents our values and is working diligently to build a coalition that will defeat Iowa's poster child for what is wrong with Washington. Campbell will need our help.