Dangerous Bigot Steve King (R-IA), The Worst Of The Worst

Even though Congress has worked damn hard to earn its historic 9% approval rating, you would be hard-pressed to find a single worse legislator than Iowa fringe lunatic Steve King. Since first being elected in 2002, King has been an icon of everything that's gone wrong with the Republican Party and it's slide into neo-fascist, ignornace-based dogma. His career-long ProgressivePunch score is 2.24 (out of 100); that's a shocking record of voting against the interests of the people who have voted him into office and against working families across America. Once the whole western, and much of the southern, part of the state Iowa's 5th CD was nearly as ignorant and bigoted as the man they elected to represent them in DC. But that has recently changed. King was only elected with less than 60% once (2006-- with 58%) in his career. This time, in the newly configured district, he could well be facing defeat. Once an R+8 bastion of conservatism, King now has to run in a more swingy R+4 district, where he has to face Christie Vilsack, Iowa's popular former first lady, the wife of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. How serious is King taking this challenge? He's never agreed to debate any of his previous opponents. This time he had no choice.

A deranged homophobic sociopath, there is no Member of Congress-- not even Bachmann or Foxx-- more consumed with obsessive hatred of the LGBT community. The Des Moines Register exposed King's insidious connection to right-wing hate groups like NOM-- and to stir up racial animosity between gays and African Americans.

Confidential memos released by court order reveal how a national group targeted Iowa to “roll back gay marriage” and how it picked one particular Iowan as its initial go-to guy for strategy.

The National Organization for Marriage went to work in Iowa to fight same-sex marriage “just hours after” the Iowa Supreme Court ruling came down three years ago Tuesday, budgeted $1 million for efforts here, and tapped Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King to “lay out a plan,” the memos show.

The marriage group has taken pains to keep its strategies private.

An Iowa civil rights organization today criticized NOM’s “political maneuvering and race-baiting.”

“This out-of-state special interest group has a million dollar budget to impose their agenda on our state,” said Calla Rongerude, interim executive director of One Iowa. “Their strategies go against the values Iowans hold dear, values like fairness and respect.”

One of the National Organization for Marriage’s overall strategies for Iowa and other states was to “find attractive young black Democrats to challenge white gay marriage advocates electorally” and to “identify glamorous young Latino and Latina leaders, especially artists, actors, musicians, athletes, writers and other celebrities willing to stand for marriage,” one memo says.

Rongerude in a written statement said: “Their divisive methods of pitting African Americans, Latinos and members of the LGBT community against each other are morally bankrupt.”

She said One Iowa is committed to making sure “their well-funded and disturbing strategy has no place here in Iowa.”

Blue America is one of several groups urging Iowans to take the opportunity of the 2012 elections to put an end to King's disgraceful political career. We have a page dedicated to defeating dangerous homophobes like King and if you'd like to help Christie Vilasack beat him, you can do that here. This week CREDO Action came out swinging, urging their members to hold King accountable for his shameful vote against women.

Rep. Steve King has voted for shameful bills to redefine rape, defund Planned Parenthood, and to let women die. But you would think, in spite of his appalling record in the radical right's war on women, that he might have some concern for domestic violence survivors. Think again.

Just last week, Rep. King joined with the Tea Party majority in Congress and voted against considering renewal of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a popular and (until now) bipartisan bill that has reduced domestic violence rates by 58% since it was first passed in 1994.

This isn't the first time Rep. King has tried to block reauthorization of VAWA. In 2005, he introduced an amendment to block reauthorization of VAWA because he claimed the legislation showed "hostility" toward men and interfered "in the relationship of marriage."

Rep. King's voting record shows a shocking disregard for the welfare and equality of the women of his district, of Iowa, and of America. At moments like this, we must raise our voices as activists, and constituents, to communicate our disappointment and hold our elected representatives accountable for their shameful votes.

There's only one way to get rid of Steve King and his hatred and bigotry. And that's electing Christie Vilsack in November. Please consider helping her win.