Rep. Walt Rogers Considers First District Congressional Run

Rep. Walt Rogers is considering a run for Congress.

Rogers, who represents Cedar Falls at the Iowa statehouse, has formed an exploratory committee to consider running for Iowa's first Congressional district, a seat being vacated by Rep. Bruce Braley. Braley is running for the Senate seat that will be open after Sen. Tom Harkin's retirement next year.


Rogers is currently serving his second term in Des Moines. A former youth pastor, the pro-life conservative has often touted his, "smaller, smarter government" mantra. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported he wants to continue that message if he runs for Congress:

“Three years ago I won on smaller, smarter government and I want to do that in Washington, DC,” Rogers said. “I’m going to work had and in a year where I think Republicans will do well it makes (this district) at least 50-50.”

The First District includes 20 counties in north east Iowa; Allamakee, Black Hawk, Benton, Bremer, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Howard, Iowa, Jackson, Jones, Linn, Marshall, Mitchell, Poweshiek, Tama, Winneshiek, and Worth counties.   

The current field of candidates is already crowded. Republicans Rod Blum of Dubuque and Steve Rathje of Cedar Rapids are also running.

Current Democrat contenders for the seat are Waterloo Rep. Anesa Kajtazovic, former speaker of the Iowa House Pat Murphy of Dubuque, Marion Democrat Swati Dandekar, Cedar Rapids Democrat Dave O’Brien and Cedar Rapids city council member Monica Vernon.