Kim Weaver spoke last year to about a dozen people at Greene Bean Coffee in Jefferson. Weaver touted industrial hemp, student loan debt reform as a way to increase the number of mental health providers and an overall need to return to civility. “You send me to Washington,” Weaver said, “you’re going to get somebody who treats people with dignity, not disdain.” JEFFERSON HERALD PHOTO

Weaver eyes 2nd run for King’s congressional seat

By DOUGLAS BURNS
d.burns@carrollspaper.com

A senior-citizens advocate from Sheldon is sizing up a potential second bid for Congress in the sweeping 4th District.

In an interview with this newspaper Democrat Kim Weaver said she’s set up an exploratory committee and plans to make a decision by the fall about entering the race.

“I have had a lot of people say I was a good candidate,” Weaver said.

U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, defeated Weaver this past November 61 percent to 39 percent in the 39-county district that includes Carroll and several surrounding counties. Story County, home to Iowa State University, is the only county Weaver captured in the 2016 race.

Weaver said the election results are relative.

“I did better than Patty (Judge) and Hillary (Clinton) with very little money,” Weaver said.

For example, in the most Democratic-leaning county in the district, Story, Weaver received 55 percent of the vote in her race compared to Clinton’s 51 percent in the presidential contest. Clinton lost the full state to President Donald Trump.

Weaver, 52, oversees 124 nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in northwest Iowa for Iowa’s Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman as an advocate for seniors.

She made health care a major focus of her campaign in 2016 and would plan to do so again.

For his part, King has not formally announced for re-election in 2018, and his name surfaces among political observers as a potential conservative challenger to Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and others in a GOP gubernatorial field.

Weaver said her exploratory goals are as follows: If she earns enough support and raises $100,000 by September, she will enter the race officially.

“I did very well last time considering my resources,” Weaver said. “My campaign staff and volunteers did an amazing job with the magnitude of tasks placed in front of them. I won’t attempt to do this again without sufficient support. I will fully commit if Iowans will do the same.”

Dirk Deam, an Iowa State University political science professor and lawyer, is also considering a bid as a Democrat for the 4th District seat, Deam said in a post on Facebook.

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