Rod Blum

Rod Blum
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 1st district
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded by Bruce Braley
Personal details
Born Rodney Leland Blum
(1955-04-26) April 26, 1955
Dubuque, Iowa, U.S.
Nationality American
Political party Republican
Residence Dubuque, Iowa
Alma mater Loras College
University of Dubuque
Occupation Software executive
Religion Episcopalian

Rodney Leland "Rod" Blum (born April 26, 1955) is an American politician who was elected to represent Iowa's 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014. A member of the Republican Party, he took office on January 3, 2015.

Career

Blum attended Loras College where he earned a degree in finance, and the University of Dubuque where he earned a master’s degree in business administration. A businessman, Blum is a former CEO of Eagle Point Software (1990–2000) and owner of Digital Canal, a software company, since 2000.[1][2]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

After winning the Republican primary in June 2014, Blum defeated Democrat Pat Murphy with 51% of the vote in the November 4, 2014, general election. This was considered a surprise Republican victory, as the seat had a D+5 Cook PVI Score.[3] Blum succeeded Democrat Bruce Braley, who vacated his U.S. House seat to run unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate.[4]

Blum ran for re-election in 2016.[5] He was unopposed in the Republican primary. He faced Democrat Monica Vernon in the general election.[6] Blum defeated Vernon with 54% of the vote.[7]

Electoral history

Iowa's 1st Congressional District Election (2014)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rod Blum 145,383 51.18
Democratic Pat Murphy 138,335 48.70
No party Others 348 0.12%
Total votes 284,066 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

Tenure

Blum cast his first vote in Congress against John Boehner's speakership.[5]

According to USA Today, Blum has "made it his central focus to change the way Congress treats itself by supporting efforts to strip away the trappings of elective office." Blum and Democrat Beto O'Rourke started the Congressional Term Limits Caucus. He co-sponsored legislation to end lawmakers' access to first class travel and luxury car leases, he supports ending the congressional pension system, and he has introduced a bill to institute a lifetime ban on lawmakers ever becoming lobbyists.[8]

In March 2016, in light of a $2 billion redevelopment of D.C.’s Southwest waterfront, Blum said that Washington D.C. "needs a recession."[9][10]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Personal life

Blum, the son of a World War II veteran, was born and raised in Dubuque. He resides there with his wife, Karen, and their five children.[15] He is Episcopalian.[2]

References

  1. ↑ DES (9 May 2014). "Iowa Election 2014". Des Moines Register.
  2. 1 2 "Rod Blum Announces Campaign for Congress in 1st CD | The Iowa Republican". theiowarepublican.com.
  3. ↑ "Cook PVI website" (PDF).
  4. ↑ "Rod Blum wins 1st Congressional District race". Des Moines Register. November 5, 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 Cahn, Emily (June 12, 2015). "Blum Says Others Will Support Him If Republicans Don't". Roll Call. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Barton, Thomas (June 8, 2016). "After conceding, Murphy endorses Vernon in effort to unseat Blum". Telegraph Herald. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "Iowa U.S. House 1st District Results: Rod Blum Wins". The New York Times. November 16, 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  8. ↑ Davis, Susan (May 7, 2015). "Freshman Rod Blum flies solo on his mission to change Congress". USA Today. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  9. ↑ Stein, Perry (March 23, 2016). "Iowa congressman says D.C. needs a recession because it has 'cranes everywhere'". Washington Post. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  10. ↑ Freed, Benjamin (March 23, 2016). "This Iowa Congressman Really Hates the Wharf in Southwest DC'". Washingtonian. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  11. ↑ Henderson, O. Kay (December 4, 2014). "New Iowa congressmen given key committee assignments". Radio Iowa. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  12. ↑ Lynch, James (June 1, 2015). "Blum joins Congressional Slovak Caucus". The Gazette. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  13. ↑ Marcos, Cristina (April 2, 2015). "Lawmakers form Term Limits Caucus". The Hill. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  14. ↑ Bialik, Carl; Bycoffe, Aaron (25 September 2015). "The Hard-Line Republicans Who Pushed John Boehner Out". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 2015-09-28.
  15. ↑ "Project Vote Smart – The Voter's Self Defense System". Project Vote Smart.

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Bruce Braley		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 1st congressional district
January 3, 2015 – present 		Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Mike Bishop
R-Michigan 		United States Representatives by seniority
382nd 		Succeeded by
Mike Bost
R-Illinois
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