Cedar Rapids Attorney Dave O'Brien, a Democrat, Enters First District Race

Cedar Rapids has another entrant in the race to fill Rep. Bruce Braley's seat.

Cedar Rapids attorney Dave O’Brien, a Democrat, announced Wednesday he will campaign to represent Iowa's First District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to his profile at www.wileylaw.com, he was born and raised in Sioux City, graduated from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., with a B.A. in Public Affairs and then attended the University of Iowa School of Law.

His profile says he served as Chair of the Woodbury County Democratic Central Committee and was Iowa Chair of the 1992 Clinton/Gore campaign.

Braley is leaving the spot to campaign for the Senate seat being vacated by Tom Harkin.

The First District includes 20 counties in north east Iowa; Allamakee, Black Hawk, Benton, Bremer, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Howard, Iowa, Jackson, Jones, Linn, Marshall, Mitchell, Poweshiek, Tama, Winneshiek, and Worth counties.   

The current field of candidates is already crowded. 

Current Democrat contenders for the seat are Pat Murphy of Dubuque and Monica Vernon of Cedar Rapids.

Republicans Rod Blum of Dubuque and Steve Rathje of Cedar Rapids are also running.

Marion Democrat Swati Dandekar and Waterloo Democrat Anesa Kajtazovic are also considering running.