Democrat Bob Krause announces run for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District

Bob Krause, a former state legislator, announced this week he will be running for Congress as a Democrat to oust the 1st Congressional District’s Republican incumbent, U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. In a May 26 press release, he launched the slogan: “Flip The House With Krause.”

To him and his campaign, that rallying cry serves as a reminder to voters that control of the entire U.S. House of Representatives hinges on just a few key races. It also reinforces just how competitive and volatile Iowa’s first congressional district has been ever since Miller-Meeks was first elected in 2020.

It was that same year that widespread recounts determined Miller-Meeks won against Democrat Rita Hart by only six votes. In 2024, Miller-Meeks narrowly retained her seat once again, albeit not as close as her race against Hart; Miller-Meeks won against Democrat Christina Bohannan by less than 800 votes.

Republicans in the district were forced to choose between Miller-Meeks and challenger David Pautsch in the primary. Even though Miller-Meeks won with a 12-point lead, Pautsch felt he had a strong showing getting 44 percent of the vote with only six months of work. Pautsch announced in February he’s running again.

Which makes Krause the third person to announce a campaign for the seat. Krause believes he can beat the incumbent congresswoman and block President Donald Trump’s “destructive agenda to implement a reverse-Robin Hood on our nation” that he alleged will impoverish many Iowans and enrich the very few.

“It is no secret that incumbent Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks votes like Trump’s rubber stamp,” Krause said in his press release. “Extremists who appear set on destroying our democracy are given a huge institutional advantage simply because she is part of the House GOP.

“That House GOP has surrendered the constitutionally authorized power of Congress and the courts to appropriate, tax and provide for due process of law and public participation through our elected officials. This ceding of power has become simply a slower version of the attempted coup of Jan. 6, 2021.”

Krause said he will not remain silent as Trump “bypasses Congress” and dismantles critical programs to Iowa’s 1st Congressional District without the consent of elected representatives and due process. The candidate stressed this election is vital “to the future of Iowa and the nation.”

If elected, Krause said he would uphold the Constitution and fight for policies that benefit workers, farmers and families. He is in favor of the reversing inequitable tax cuts and preserving Social Security benefits. He also wants to provide essential services for a safe, clean and prosperous environment.

Krause pledged to defend Iowa’s education systems, libraries and social safety nets from further erosion.

In the 1970s, Krause served in the Iowa House for six years. He then ran an unsuccessful campaign for state treasurer. In 2010, he ran a campaign in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat race against Chuck Grassley, but he lost to fellow party member Roxanne Conlin, who would lose to the incumbent.

It wasn’t the last time Krause tried to run against Grassley. In 2022, he attempted another race but inevitably withdrew after not receiving enough signatures. He needed 3,500 signatures but only acquired around 1,400. He blamed it partly on the precinct caucuses being held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to his experience as a lawmaker, Krause is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and Iowa Army National Guard. He previously served as a school board member in Waterloo and is president of the Veterans National Recovery Center. He is married to Vicky Krause and has a large, blended family.