Hinson defeats Finkenauer in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District


Ashley Hinson (R) defeated incumbent Abby Finkenauer (D) in the general election for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District. Finkenauer was first elected in 2018, defeating then-incumbent Rep. Rod Blum (R) 51% to 46%. 

Heading into the election, Hinson had served in the Iowa House of Representatives since 2016. She was endorsed by President Donald Trump (R) and Governor Kim Reynolds (R).

The 1st District was one of 31 U.S. House districts that Trump won in the 2016 presidential election and a Democratic candidate won in the 2018 midterm elections. During the presidential election, Trump defeated Hillary Clinton (D) 49% to 45% in the 1st District.

This is one of four districts so far where the New York Times, CNN, ABC, NBC, and FOX News have each called as a Democratic to Republican flip. The other three districts (Minnesota’s 7th, Oklahoma’s 5th, and New Mexico’s 2nd) also went to President Trump in 2016. The five outlets have called two districts as Republican to Democratic flips, both North Carolina districts that were redrawn last year.