By: James Q. Lynch
CEDAR RAPIDS — State Rep. Abby Finkenauer has landed another labor union endorsement in her bid for the Democratic nomination in Iowa’s U.S. House 1st District race.
The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 234, which represents members in 92 Iowa counties, including the entire 1st District, is supporting Finkenauer because “we need someone in Congress who has our backs,” according to Brian Vaske of the union.
Finkenauer, who represents much of Dubuque in the Iowa House of Representatives, also announced the backing of End Citizens United, a grass roots organization with more than 3.3 million members who want to overturn the United States Supreme Court decision in Citizens United and reform the campaign finance system. The Supreme Court ruling in the case removed restrictions for independent campaign expenditures by corporations, labor unions and other associations.
“It’s no secret that Congress is littered with politicians like Rep. Rod Blum who is in the pockets of the big money mega-donors and special interests,” said Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United.
Blum, a Dubuque Republican, is running for a third term in the House. He will face the winner of a four-way June 2018 Democratic primary race between Finkenauer, George Ramsey III of Marion, Thomas Heckroth of Cedar Falls and Courtney Rowe of Cedar Rapids.
“Abby Finkenauer has vowed to curb the corrupting influence that money has over our politics and fight to enact meaningful reform that will upend this system,” Muller said.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, www.opensecrets.org Finkenauer received 15 percent of the $308,000 she’s raised from political action committees compared to Blum’s 21 percent from PACs. He has raised $973,000 from all sources, including himself.
Finkenauer previously received the endorsement of several labor unions, Emily’s List and NARAL Pro-Choice America.