David Young (Iowa politician)

David Edmund Young (born May 11, 1968) is an American politician who served as the U.S. Representative for Iowa's 3rd congressional district from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he is a native and resident of Van Meter, a western suburb of Des Moines. He was first elected in 2014 and reelected in 2016; he lost reelection in 2018 to Democrat Cindy Axne. Young is challenging Axne in the 2020 election to regain his old seat.

David Young
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 3rd district
In office
January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019
Preceded byTom Latham
Succeeded byCindy Axne
Personal details
Born
David Edmund Young

(1968-05-11) May 11, 1968
Van Meter, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationDrake University (BA)

Career

Young attended Drake University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. From 2006 to 2013, he served as the chief of staff to Iowa Republican senator Chuck Grassley. He was previously chief of staff to Kentucky senator Jim Bunning from 1998 to 2006.[1][2][3]

U.S. House of Representatives

2014 election
Main article: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa § District 3

The Republican nomination was decided by a convention after none of the six candidates reached the 35 percent threshold required to make the general election ballot. This was the second time in 50 years that a convention picked a nominee and the first time since 2002.[4] A poll conducted by the conservative website Caffeinated Thoughts of 118 of the 513 delegates was conducted on June 9–10, 2014. Young and Brad Zaun took 27% each.[5]

On June 21, 2014, in what was described by the Des Moines Register as a "stunning upset", Young won the nomination on the fifth ballot of the convention.[6] Young went on to defeat Democrat Staci Appel 53% to 42% in the 2014 general election.[7]

2016 election
Main article: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa § District 3
Map showing the results of the 2016 election in Iowa's Third congressional district by County

Young ran for re-election in 2016. He defeated Joe Grandanette in the Republican primary, which took place on June 7, 2016.[8][9] He then defeated Democrat Jim Mowrer in the general election, winning 54% of the vote.[10]

2018 election
Main article: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa § District 3

Young ran for reelection in 2018. He was unopposed in the Republican Party primary. In the November 2018 general election, he was defeated by Democrat Cindy Axne of nearby West Des Moines. Axne won 49% of the vote to Young's 47.5%, with four different third-party candidates winning the remaining 3.5% of the vote.[11]

2020 election
Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa § District 3

Young is the Republican nominee in the 2020 election to represent Iowa's 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House. He is challenging incumbent Democrat Cindy Axne, who defeated Young in the 2018 election.[12]

Tenure

Young was sworn into office on January 3, 2015.

He was a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership[13] and the Veterinary Medicine Caucus.[14]

In April 2015, Young joined the Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund to announce over $530,000 in affordable housing grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines) Strong Communities Fund. The grants would assist nearly 100 residents with key home repairs.[15]

During the January 2018 government shutdown, Young remained in Washington, canceled town hall meetings, and, in solidarity with government employees who were going unpaid during the shutdown, refused to accept his own salary. “I'm disappointed and I can't believe that Congress is getting paid during this time right now,” he said. “The people working hard every day in the military, for our federal government, should not be blamed for this.”[16]

Committee assignments

Political positions

LGBT issues

In May 2016, he voted to approve a measure aimed at upholding an executive order that bars discrimination against LGBT employees by federal contractors.[17]

Veterans

In 2016, Young sponsored the "No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act" aimed at reducing suicides of veterans. The bill passed the U.S. House unanimously.[18]

Health care

Young voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in 2015.[19]

Young opposed the original March 2017 Republican effort to repeal Obamacare. When the effort ended in March 2017 with the withdrawal of the GOP health-care legislation from further consideration, Young praised Trump and the party leaders for this action and called for everyone to join anew in “a thoughtful and deliberate process that takes the time and input to get this right to achieve accessible, affordable quality healthcare for every American.”[20]

Young supported the second 2017 Republican effort to repeal Obamacare. On May 4, 2017, Young voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. This second repeal effort narrowly passed the House 217-213, but failed in the Senate.[21][22] The repeal bill that Young voted for would have made it possible for states to allow insurers to raise health care premiums for individuals with preexisting conditions who did not have continuous coverage.[22] At the same time as he sought to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Young pushed for an amendment intended to assist those with preexisting conditions who saw their premiums rise; many health policy analysts have questioned whether it would have succeeded in doing so.[23][22]

In September 2017, Young supported the refunding of the Children's Health Insurance Program.[24]

Tax reform

Young supports tax reform and voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[25] He said he believed the bill would provide tax relief to Iowans.[26]

In April 2018, he voted for a Balanced Budget Amendment. In June 2018, Young voted for H.R. 3, the Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act, also known as the rescission package.

Tariffs

In September 2017, Young was part of a six-member bipartisan delegation that traveled to China to discuss agriculture, North Korea, the South China Sea, energy, and cybersecurity with Chinese officials. “The continued potential for growth in exports to China for Iowa’s products is of great importance to job and economic growth for the state,” said Young. In April 2018, Young told an interviewer that while he agreed with President Trump's belief in the need for “regulatory relief and common-sense regulatory reform and tax relief,” he and many of his constituents believe that “tariffs are taxes,” and are therefore “going to hurt consumers, going to hurt employers.”[27][28]

Immigration

In January 2018, Young reiterated support for permanent legal status for so-called DREAMers, saying that he would vote for a measure giving them residency while also improving border security. “I want to find a way for those people to be here legally and stay here without fear of deportation,” Young said, but added that he was “not quite there on citizenship” for immigrants covered by DACA. He acknowledged that might support a citizenship guarantee if it was tied to enhanced border security or immigration controls.[29]

Foreign policy

Young supported the 2017 Shayrat missile strike.[30]

Israel

Young, a strong supporter of Israel, visited that country in August 2017 to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and to tour the nation. Young stated: “I look forward to further understanding the unique challenges the people of Israel, and the entire region, face as we work to pursue and achieve policies which will provide security and stability in a region where we have long prayed for peace.”[31]

Abortion

Young opposes using federal funds to pay for abortions. He does not believe Planned Parenthood should receive federal funding. He does "believes in women’s access to healthcare and contraceptives" with the organization relying on outside funding to achieve these ends.[30]

Drug policy

In 2016, Young received a "C" rating from marijuana legalization advocacy group NORML for his voting history regarding cannabis-related causes.[32]

Electoral history

2014
2014 Republican primary results[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Brad Zaun 10,522 24.7
Republican Robert Cramer 9,032 21.2
Republican Matt Schultz 8,464 19.9
Republican Monte Shaw 7,220 17.0
Republican David Young 6,604 15.5
Republican Joe Grandanette 661 1.6
Republican Write-ins 42 0.1
Total votes 42,545 100
Iowa Republican Convention, 2014[34]
Candidate Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5
David Young 86(16.8%) 81(15.8%) 102(19.9%) 171(33.3%) 276(53.8%)
Brad Zaun 130(25.3%) 157(30.6%) 188(36.6%) 206(40.2%) 221(43.1%)
Monte Shaw 118(23%) 122(23.8%) 126(24.6%) 120(23.4%) —
Matt Schultz 95(18.5%) 88(17.2%) 85(16.6%) —
Robert Cramer 75(14.6%) 60(11.7%) —
Joe Grandanette 7(1.4%) 2(0.4%) —
Exhausted ballots 2(0.4%) 3(0.6%) 12(2.3%) 16(3.1%) 16(3.1%)
Total 513(100%) 513(100%) 513(100%) 513(100%) 513(100%)
Iowa's 3rd congressional district general election, 2014[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Young 148,814 52.8
Democratic Staci Appel 119,109 42.2
Libertarian Edward Wright 9,054 3.2
No party preference Bryan Jack Holder 4,360 1.5
Write-ins 729 0.3
Total votes 282,066 100
Republican hold

2016
2016 Republican primary results[36]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Young 17,977 85.2
Republican Joe Grandanette 3,143 14.8
Republican Write-ins 85 0.1
Total votes 21,143 100
Iowa's 3rd congressional district general election, 2016[37]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Young (incumbent) 208,240 53.5
Democratic Jim Mowrer 154,754 39.8
Libertarian Bryan Jack Holder 15,327 3.9
No party preference Claudia Addy 6,335 1.6
No party preference Joe Grandanette 4,511 1.2
Total votes 389,167 100
Republican hold

2018
2018 Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Young (incumbent) 21,471 98.95
Republican Write-ins 228 1.05
Total votes 21,699 100

Iowa's 3rd congressional district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cindy Axne 175,642 49.3
Republican David Young (incumbent) 167,933 47.1
Libertarian Bryan Holder 7,267 2.0
Legal Marijuana Now Mark Elworth Jr. 2,015 0.6
Green Paul Knupp 1,888 0.5
Independent Joe Grandanette 1,301 0.4
n/a Write-ins 195 0.1
Total votes 356,241 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

Personal life

Young is unmarried. He is a non-denominational Christian and lives in Van Meter.[1]

gollark: Well, it being an important issue doesn't make it impossible.
gollark: Basically all security relies on it *not* being possible to collide hashes. Digital signatures and such.
gollark: No, those are stupidly rare.
gollark: That's basically the entire point of their design.
gollark: You could, but hash functions are designed not to exhibit any patterns.

References
  1. "Iowa Election 2014". Des Moines Register. 9 May 2014.
  2. "Grassley aide weighs Senate run". POLITICO.
  3. "Senate hopeful David Young previews campaign kick off today in Van Meter - The Iowa Republican". Archived from the original on 2014-11-05. Retrieved 2014-11-05.
  4. Petroski, William. "Iowa's 3rd Congressional District GOP race heads to convention". Des Moines Register. Archived from the original on 5 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  5. "David Young, Brad Zaun Lead Iowa 3rd District Delegate Poll". Caffeinated Thoughts. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  6. Petroski, William (21 June 2014). "David Young wins 3rd District GOP nomination in stunning upset". The Des Moines Register. Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  7. Petroski, William (November 5, 2014). "Young wins in Iowa's 3rd District race for Congress". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  8. Pathé, Simone (August 14, 2015). "Democrats Courting 'Gold Standard' to Unseat Young in Iowa". Roll Call. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  9. "Republican lines up to primary Young in Third District". The Iowa Statesman. July 28, 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  10. Yokley, Eli (June 8, 2016). "House Republicans: Vulnerable Incumbents Have 'Head Start' in Iowa". Morning Consult. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  11. "Iowa Election Results: Third House District". New York Times. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  12. Coltrain, Nick (June 2, 2020). "David Young wins GOP nominations for Des Moines congressional seat, Ashley Hinson gets nod for northeast Iowa race". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  13. "Members". Republican Mains Street Partnership. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  14. "Members of the Veterinary Medicine Caucus". Veterinary Medicine Caucus. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  15. Congressman David Young Announces $532,000 in Housing Grants for Southwest Iowa; FHLB; April 8, 2015; https://www.fhlbdm.com/press-room/congressman-david-young-announces-532000-in-housing-grants-for-southwest-iowa/
  16. Iowa Lawmakers React to Government Shutdown, Some Not Accepting Paychecks; WHOtv; January 21, 2018; https://whotv.com/2018/01/21/iowa-lawmakers-react-to-government-shutdown-some-not-accepting-paychecks/
  17. Noble, Jason (May 26, 2016). "David Young votes 'yes' on new LGBT anti-discrimination bill". Des Moines Register. Associated Press. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  18. Petroski, Willia (October 4, 2016). "Allegations fly over Young's stalled vets' suicide hotline bill". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  19. "Fact check: Did Rep. David Young try to protect people with pre-existing conditions?". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  20. Noble, Jason; Iowa's GOP congressmen hopeful after failure of health care bill; Des Moines Register; March 24, 2017; https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/24/iowas-gop-congressmen-hopeful-after-failure-health-care-bill/99577626/
  21. "How every member voted on health care bill". CNN. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  22. "Fact check: Did Rep. David Young try to protect people with pre-existing conditions?". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  23. "Young, Axne Debate In Tight Race For Iowa's 3rd Congressional District". October 12, 2018.
  24. Discher, Anne; Congress must extend CHIP to ensure health care for kids; Des Moines Register; September 13, 2017; https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2017/09/13/congress-must-extend-chip-ensure-health-care-kids/662815001/
  25. Almukhtar, Sarah (19 December 2017). "How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  26. Peterson, Mike. "Ernst, Young hail tax bill's passage". KMAland.com. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  27. Lynch, James (July 5, 2018). "Iowa congressional delegation calls on Trump to avoid trade war". Post Bulletin.
  28. "GOP Iowa Rep. Young Argues Tariffs Will Harm Overall Economy". NPR. April 5, 2018.
  29. Noble, Jason; Immigration tops discussion at two forums with U.S. Rep. David Young; Des Moines Register; January 26, 2018; https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2018/01/26/congressman-david-young-reiterates-support-permanent-legal-status-immigrants-iowa-townhall-meeting/1067007001/
  30. Godden, Paige. "Congressman Young questioned on Syria, Planned Parenthood". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  31. Morton, Joseph; After trip to Israel, Reps. Don Bacon and David Young encourage support of country; Omaha World Herald; August 16, 2017; https://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/after-trip-to-israel-reps-don-bacon-and-david-young/article_441d25e0-820a-11e7-a8ca-0b3472e64b2b.html
  32. "Iowa Scorecard". NORML. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  33. "OFFICIAL RESULTS June 3, 2014 Primary Election". Iowa Secretary of State. Archived from the original on June 8, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  34. "Shocker: David Young wins GOP Nomination on Fifth Ballot". The Iowa Republican. Archived from the original on 30 July 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  35. "Iowa General Election 2014". Iowa Secretary of State. 2014-11-04. Archived from the original on 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2014-12-19.
  36. "Canvass Summary Primary Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  37. "Elections 2016". Des Moines Register. 2016-11-09. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Tom Latham		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 3rd congressional district
2015–present		 Succeeded by
Cindy Axne
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