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New Flood Recovery Board in IA, Iowa's 2nd District Seat Up for Grabs, 4:32

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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is asking lawmakers for $15 million from the ending balance of the current year's budget for immediate work on levees and repairs in flooded communities. She's also seeking $10 million from next year's budget to accelerate housing improvements.

Reynolds announced her request Monday, saying federal money often takes months or years to arrive.

Reynolds also announced the creation of a Flood Recovery Advisory Board, which will coordinate state recovery efforts. Reynolds says she'll lead the panel of up to 15 people.

Flooding in March damaged more than 50 levees stretching about 250 miles along the Missouri River. Reynolds says 25,000 homes were destroyed or have major damage and more than 4,200 businesses were affected.

Early damage estimates provided to the federal government for a disaster declaration total $1.6 billion but Reynolds says that is likely to grow.

The political news website Roll Call has changed its rating of Iowa’s second congressional district from solid Democratic to a toss-up. After long-time Representative Dave Loebsack announced he’s retiring, the southeast corner of the state may not stay reliably democratic. That’s according to Central College political scientist Andrew Green.

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"The fact that…as I…the fact that Congressman Loebsack won re-election on the same ballot when Donald Trump won the popular vote in the second district tells us about the dynamics of the district.”

Green says he considers Iowa’s first, second and third districts to be up for grabs for either party in 2020. He says the outcome in the fourth district in northwest Iowa will depend on the results of a contested Republican primary. 

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