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The political winds are changing with regard to Iowa's Republican Rep. Steve King. But the question is: is change enough to dislodge it from the rural district where it is kept safe for years?
On Tuesday, the chairman of the National Republican Congress Committee, Steve Stivers, disavowed it by stating that he must "stand up against white supremacy and hate".
This direct statement was a rare reprimand from King, who for years has been a lightning rod of outside critics but has not attracted much attention from his own party. Instead, he has long been considered a conservative king within his state's pivotal presidential caucus and was recently praised by President Trump at a rally at Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Shortly after Stivers' declaration, King tweeted an answer this will probably eliminate any criticism:
"Americans, all created equal by God, with all our other races, ethnicities and national origins – legal immigrants and natural born citizens – together make up the Shining City on the Hill.These attacks are orchestrated by false news that are derogatory, desperate and dishonest Their ultimate goal is to return the House and dismiss Donald Trump.The founders of Never Establishment are accomplices. "
The Democrats have long tried to beat King at the polls, but they were unlucky in the deep red district. King won his reelection in 2016 by 22 points.
By all accounts, King should have more trouble defending his seat in 2018.
Democrat J.D. Scholten has far surpassed and exceeded King this cycle. And the Democrat was the only campaign on the air, where he criticized King's expenses in taxpayers' dollars and where the so-called Republicans criticized King as "divisive" and "angry" while promising to vote for Scholten.
Donor businesses are also starting to bear it, with Land O 'Lakes issuing a statement promising to stop giving to King.
It is difficult to invalidate his chances in such a rural district where polls are limited,
Cook's non-partisan political report changed race and became "skinny Republican" after a Democratic poll found Scholten down one point, highlighting his huge fundraising advantage and his penchant for controversy.
But King's campaign released his own internal poll this week showing him 18 points ahead of Scholten among potential voters.
Uncertainty reigns over whether this conservative district could eventually become blue. But even with Scholten the outsider clear, with all the dynamics that tend against King, it is possible that this is the best shot of the Democrats for a long time.
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