Kim Weaver

IA-04 is a prohibitively red district. It was the only district in the state that Trump won with a majority. In fact, he beat Hillary 60.9% to 33.5%. And the incumbent crack pot, neo-Nazi and racist Steve King (he prefers the term "white nationalist") won reelection with over 60% in 2016 and in 2014 and even built a well-known and well-financed Democrat, for Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack, 53-45% in 2012.

My best friend Roland teaches science to elementary school kids in Compton, California. When he saw this headline Wednesday night he shook his head and asked me if I thought people around the world were going to see it too. Tim Cama's report for The Hill was mind-boggling; what century was he writing about!

A few weeks ago Digby and I went to dinner with Ted Lieu and Ro Khanna, two of Congress' most dedicated legislators-- guys actually looking for ways to make people's lives better. We asked David Dayen to come as well so he could explain the intense research he has been engrossed in involving pharmacy benefit managers. His piece, "The Hidden Monopolies That Raise Drug Prices," is running in the new issue of the American Prospect and it's worth reading in its entirety.

Maybe you got an email filled with outrage over Steve King's latest racist statement this week. The DCCC sent one out, asking for contributions. There's a problem with that though. Steve King isn't just some loud-mouthed crackpot and bigot; he's also an actual congressman from western Iowa. The DCCC doesn't use the contributions they solicit to beat Steve King.

Kim Weaver is the chairman of the O'Brien County Democratic Party in the northwest corner of Iowa, close to where Minnesota, South Dakota and Nebraska abut her state. In 2016 she took on the thankless tasking of running against her notoriously bigoted congressman, Steve King. And she's working towards a re-match for 2018. Trump won the district last November-- 60.9% to 33.5%. In 2012 it was the only Iowa district Obama didn't win.