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Western Iowa Supervisor Joins List Of Republicans Challenging Steve King For His Seat

courtesy of jeremytaylorforcongress.com
Woodbury County supervisor and former state lawmaker Jeremy Taylor has decided to run to represent Iowa's 4th Congressional District.

A western Iowa county supervisor and former state lawmaker has joined a growing field of Republicans preparing to challenge Rep. Steve King for his U.S. House seat in 2020 if he seeks a 10th term.
Jeremy Taylor of Woodbury County announced Thursday that he has launched a federal campaign committee to seek the Republican nomination to represent Iowa’s 4th Congressional District. He says issues important to him are having balanced budgets to lower national debt, agriculture and fair trade and veterans affairs.

Taylor won re-election to Woodbury County’s Board of Supervisors in November, taking in more votes than Rep. King did in the county. Taylor says that has played into his decision to run.

“Granted that’s one county out of 39, but it stands to reason that we can really get a groundswell of support and reach a broad spectrum of folks," Taylor said. "And so that’s what we intend to do."

The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed a resolution disapproving of King’s remarks about white supremacy and white nationalism that he made in a Jan. 10 New York Timesstory. Taylor addressed the controversy over King’s comments, saying the conversations in the district should be focused on issues and solutions, not personality.

“I think that people have grown tired of having to hear missteps and words explained that at the very least lack sensitivity,” Taylor said. “I think that we’re having the wrong conversations. Our conversations need to be about the farm and ag. economy. Our conversations need to be about what’s affecting people in their lives as they look forward to trying to make ends meet while they send their kids to college.”

Taylor served in the Iowa House from 2010 to 2012. He joins State Senator Randy Feenstra from Hull and former Irwin mayor Bret Richards in challenging King for his seat.

King has not yet said if he will seek a 10th term.

Katie Peikes was a reporter for Iowa Public Radio from 2018 to 2023. She joined IPR as its first-ever Western Iowa reporter, and then served as the agricultural reporter.