Dave Loebsack

Dave Loebsack has been a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing the Second Congressional District of Iowa since 2007.

Record and controversies
On Sept. 22, Rep. Dave Loebsack caved in to political pressure to return $5,000 in campaign contributions from New York Rep. Charlie Rangel's Political Action Committee. Rep. Rangel is facing scrutiny for several alleged ethics violations. Rep. Loebsack's GOP opponent, Dr. Marianette Miller-Meeks, had been calling for Loebsack to return or donate the funds. As of June 30, 2008, 62% ($424,414) of Rep. Loebsack's campaign funds have come from PACs.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Biography
Loebsack was born in 1952 in Sioux City, Iowa. He graduated from East High School then attended college at Iowa State University at Ames. Here, Loebsack earned his bachelor degree in 1974, and a master in political science in 1976. He later received a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. Loebsack took a faculty position at Cornell College, a small, elite liberal arts school in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Since becoming a professor, he has been active in a variety of left-leaning political organizations. He and his wife, Theresa, met when he was in Ames. She is a second grade schoolteacher. They have four grown children. .

2006 election
Loebsack defeated Republican Rep. Jim Leach 51%-49% to take control of his seat in the 2006 congressional elections. 

Money in politics
cid=N00027741&cycle=2008

As of June 30, 2008, Rep. Loebsack has raised $683,387. 62% of his funds ($424,414) came from PAC contributions, while individual contributions comprise only 37% ($250,418). These figures stand in stark contrast to his 2006 campaign where individual contributions made up 66% ($341,760) of the $521,636 his campaign raised. PAC contributions made up 33% ($173,991) of total funds raised.

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Armed Services
 * Subcommittee on Readiness
 * Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
 * House Committee on Education and Labor
 * Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
 * Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions

Resources

 * Loebsack for Congress, official campaign site.
 * New Member Profile, National Journal.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Bleeding Heartland
 * John Deeth
 * Century of the Common Iowan
 * Blog for Iowa
 * Political Forecast
 * Diary of a political madman

Articles

 * My Meeting With Dave Loebsack, Century of the Common Iowan.
 * Centrism is for Suckers (or the Sierra Club and NEA get swindled), Century of the Common Iowan.
 * Rep. Loebsack To Build His Rapport With Congressional Constituents, Congressional Quarterly.