8/21/2019 Despite previous loss, Scholten to run again - News - Boone News-Republican - Boone, IA

Despite previous loss, Scholten to run again

By Michael Murrell, General Intern
Posted Aug 7, 2019 at 11:42 AM
Updated Aug 7, 2019 at 12:50 PM
Democrat candidate J.D. Scholten has decided to run against Congressman Steve
King for the second consecutive election cycle.

Scholten was defeated by King this past November by just over three points.
According to Scholten this played a major role in his decision to run again.

“I think ultimately it ties into with what happened last time,” said Scholten. “We
moved the needle 24 points from the presidential race to this race and though we
fell just a few votes short there was a lot of energy and a lot of excitement to do it
again.”

The performance has led to much more national attention on Scholten this time
around. His announcement ad to run again was even voiced by actor Kevin
Costner.

“To see where we came from last time from unknown and especially the launch
was non-existent last time compared to what we are doing now,” said Scholten.
“There seems to be more and more a desire for change.”

Scholten believes that he has a good chance at winning this time around despite
King having been in Congress since 2003.

“We feel that we just fell short of time and we ran out of time and if the election
was a few weeks later or a lot of different things we could have potentially won,”
said Scholten. “So it is still just getting out to all 39 counties, it is continuing to
engage with people and just not writing anybody off.”

Scholten has mostly been out of the news since the election last November but is
frustrated by the developments of Steve King being removed from committees
after a New York Times article in January.

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8/21/2019 Despite previous loss, Scholten to run again - News - Boone News-Republican - Boone, IA

“He is going around talking to all his folks saying that he was a victim of the New
York Times misquoting him,” said Scholten. “Well, the same quote that the New
York Times used he said on WHO television in October. So, even if he was
misquoted there he said what the New York Times said he said on television.”

“He continues to say these controversial things and he continues to be very

divisive and I think a lot of us are tired of politicians who are just trying to score
political points.”.

King, who has a primary challenge this time around, is planning on coming to
Boone for a town hall this Tuesday at the Ericson Public Library from 1:30 to
2:30.

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