Vernon wins Iowa House Dem primary
Cedar Rapids City Councilwoman Monica Vernon is projected to win her Iowa House Democratic primary, setting up a November battle against Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa).
Vernon defeated former Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy in the Tuesday primary.
{mosads}Vernon was considered the front-runner in the rematch race. Murphy beat Vernon in the 2014 primary in the district, only to lose narrowly to Blum in the general election amid the wave of GOP victories that year.
Blum, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, is one of Democrats’ top House targets this cycle.
His seat was held by Democrat Bruce Braley until he left the House in 2014 to run, ultimately unsuccessfully, for Senate.
Blum’s campaign has touted an internal poll from April that shows him with a substantial lead over Vernon. But he recently stirred controversy by saying Washington “needs a recession.”
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