Christina Bohannan, Lanon Baccam outraise Republican opponents in bids for Congress
Democratic congressional candidates Christina Bohannan and Lanon Baccam continue to outraise the Republican incumbents they are challenging, new congressional fundraising reports show.
Bohannan, a former state representative and University of Iowa law professor, raised $1.23 million to U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks' $847,000 in southeast Iowa's 1st Congressional District.
Baccam, a veteran and former U.S. Department of Agriculture official, raised $1.3 million compared to U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn's $1 million in the 3rd Congressional District, which includes the Des Moines metro.
The latest reports, released July 15, mark the third quarter in a row where Baccam has raised more money than Nunn and the fourth quarter in a row where Bohannan has outraised Miller-Meeks. Both seats are on national Democrats' list of targets as they seek to regain control of the House in November.
Bohannan now has more money in the bank than Miller-Meeks — $2.42 million to $2.27 million. Nunn retains a cash-on-hand advantage over Baccam, $2.44 million to $1.59 million.
The second-quarter fundraising totals cover the period from April 1 through June 30, which includes the run-up to Iowa's June 4 primary, and the weeks immediately after the contest. Miller-Meeks and 4th District U.S. Rep Randy Feenstra both fended off Republican primary challengers, while Baccam defeated fellow Democrat Melissa Vine to secure the party's nomination.
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Those three months also have included former President Donald Trump's criminal conviction in New York on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, as well as a disastrous June debate performance for Biden that's left some Democrats questioning whether he can continue as the party's nominee. Two Iowa Democratic candidates — Bohannan and 2nd District nominee Sarah Corkery — have called on Biden to withdraw from the presidential race.
The reporting period ended prior to an assassination attempt on Trump at a political rally over the weekend.
Libertarians are fielding candidates for three of the state's four congressional seats — the 1st, 3rd and 4th districts — but their candidates did not file fundraising reports with the Federal Election Commission by Monday's deadline.
Candidates must file paperwork with the FEC once they raise or spend more than $5,000.
A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll taken in June, days after the primary election, found likely Iowa voters prefer Republicans to Democrats in all four of the state's congressional districts.
Here's how much the candidates have raised and spent.
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1st Congressional District
The 1st Congressional District covers 20 counties in southeast Iowa, including the cities of Iowa City, Davenport, Newton, Indianola and Keokuk.
Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R, incumbent)
Raised this period: $846,883
Raised election cycle to date: $3,566,673
Spent this period: $376,390
Spent election cycle to date: $1,940,903
Cash on hand: $2,271,644
Christina Bohannan (D)
Raised this period: $1,230,196
Raised election cycle to date: $3,373,652
Spent this period: $442,398
Spent election cycle to date: $1,044,017
Cash on hand: $2,423,860
2nd Congressional District
The 2nd Congressional District covers 22 counties in northeast Iowa, including the cities of Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Mason City and Dubuque.
Ashley Hinson (R, incumbent)
Raised this period: $719,581
Raised election cycle to date: $4,160,405
Spent this period: $486,841
Spent election cycle to date: $2,556,752
Cash on hand: $1,900,942
Sarah Corkery (D)
Raised this period: $98,166
Raised election cycle to date: $254,880
Spent this period: $108,495
Spent election cycle to date: $185,452
Cash on hand: $69,428
3rd Congressional District
The 3rd Congressional District covers 21 counties in central and southern Iowa, including the cities of Des Moines, West Des Moines, Winterset, Osceola and Ottumwa.
Zach Nunn (R, incumbent)
Raised this period: $1,012,704
Raised election cycle to date: $3,990,058
Spent this period: $421,208
Spent election cycle to date: $1,691,962
Cash on hand: $2,439,075
Lanon Baccam (D)
Raised this period: $1,304,008
Raised election cycle to date: $2,712,843
Spent this period: $863,962
Spent election cycle to date: $1,118,827
Cash on hand: $1,594,015
4th Congressional District
The 4th Congressional District covers 36 counties in western Iowa, including the cities of Ames, Marshalltown, Council Bluffs, Sioux City and Fort Dodge.
Randy Feenstra (R, incumbent)
Raised this period: $635,115
Raised election cycle to date: $3,709,479
Spent this period: $1,180,859
Spent election cycle to date: $3,565,647
Cash on hand: $1,244,649
Ryan Melton (D)
Raised this period: $22,480
Raised election cycle to date: $59,057
Spent this period: $21,996
Spent election cycle to date: $46,718
Cash on hand: $20,031
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Democrats again outraise Republicans in Iowa's 1st and 3rd districts