Christina Bohannan, a Democratic state legislator from Iowa and the candidate in a highly contested district, previously criticized the “Back the Blue” law enacted after the protests following George Floyd’s death. She described the law as an “overreaction.”
Bohannan expressed concerns during a 2021 virtual legislative forum, indicating that the backlash against the protests was, in her view, exaggerated. She remarked, “I think we’re seeing a backlash and, frankly, an exaggerated backlash. A lot of this is happening because they just don’t have a lot of minorities in their districts and don’t interact with people on a regular basis.” Critics have pointed to these comments as evidence supporting their claims that she has a lenient approach to crime, which they argue may not resonate well with Iowa voters as she campaigns to defeat Republican Representative Miller-Meeks.
In a statement, Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, labeled Bohannan as having reached an extreme level of “wokeness,” suggesting that her policies could jeopardize public safety in Iowa. He argued that her past candidacies have been unsuccessful because voters found her views to be out of touch.
Bohannan began her career in academia, teaching at the University of Iowa College of Law before entering state politics. She made history in 2020 by winning a seat in the Iowa House, unseating a long-time incumbent. In her previous attempts to secure a congressional seat, Bohannan has come close but has yet to win; she lost to Miller-Meeks in a close 2022 race by a little over six percentage points. In the most recent election, the margin was razor-thin: just 799 votes separated the candidates.
Throughout her campaigns, she has faced scrutiny for her prior academic statements and legislative voting history, especially regarding crime-related issues. The resurfaced remarks trace back to her opposition to Senate File 342, which significantly increased penalties for rioting and introduced stricter laws surrounding public protests.
This law emerged during a national wave of anti-police sentiment sparked by George Floyd’s death, a highly publicized incident that led to calls for police reform. Iowa’s response diverged from some states that sought to limit police powers, instead opting for stronger support for law enforcement.
Rep. Jarad Klein, a Republican and the bill’s sponsor, positioned the legislation as a necessary assertion of support for police officers. He emphasized that a vote against the bill would contradict claims of supporting law enforcement. Meanwhile, Governor Kim Reynolds echoed these sentiments during the bill’s signing, emphasizing her dedication to the safety of law enforcement personnel.
Bohannan contested the bill, arguing it was too extreme in its provisions. She claimed that it would essentially allow negligent drivers to harm protest participants with legal immunity, describing such potential outcomes as “sick,” particularly in regard to the youth involved in protests.
Subsequent versions of the legislation included a clause aimed at protecting drivers from civil liability, but only under specific circumstances where they were deemed to be taking due care while encountering people obstructing traffic.
As for Bohannan’s views on the “Back the Blue” initiative and her past remarks, her campaign hasn’t provided clarity or further comment on those issues.
