Democrat Kim Weaver, who lost a 2016 race against Republican Rep. Steve King in northwestern quadrant of Iowa, has withdrawn from a second race against the eight-term conservative, said the Sioux City Journal. In a Facebook post, Weaver cited “very alarming acts of intimidation, including death threats,” and health issues affecting her mother, who lives in Des Moines.
King, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, is a prominent opponent of comprehensive immigration reform. He defeated Weaver handily last November in a district with a large Republican base. Weaver was the only declared Democratic candidate in the race, said the Sioux City Journal, although an Iowa State University political science professor, Dirk Deam, has said he is considering a run.
In withdrawing from the race, Weaver said Republican proposals to repeal the Affordable Care Act were a factor in her decision. A full-fledged run for Congress would require her to quit her job at the Iowa Department of Aging. “With recent legislation on health insurance, I must admit that the possibility of seeking a new job after the election exposes too much of a risk for me in not being able to secure health insurance,” wrote Weaver.