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GOP establishment choice wins Iowa’s House contest

Candidates from left, Brad Zaun, Matt Schultz and David Young listen to opening remarks as the Republicans in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District meet to nominate a candidate to run to replace retiring Congressman Tom Lathamth on Saturday, June 21, 2014, in Urbandale, Iowa. Establishment Republicans are hoping to hold the seat in the swing-voting district that includes Des Moines and rural southwest Iowa. (AP Photo/The Des Moines Register, Mary Willie) MAGS OUT, TV OUT, NO SALES, MANDATORY CREDIT Candidates from left, Brad Zaun, Matt Schultz and David Young listen to opening remarks as the Republicans in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District meet to nominate a candidate to run to replace retiring Congressman Tom Lathamth on Saturday, June 21, 2014, in Urbandale, Iowa. Establishment Republicans are hoping to hold the seat in the swing-voting district that includes Des Moines and rural southwest Iowa. (AP Photo/The Des Moines Register, Mary Willie) MAGS OUT, TV OUT, NO SALES, MANDATORY CREDIT

By Associated Press June 21, 2014 1 min read

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) – In a setback for the tea party and libertarian forces in Iowa, establishment Republicans have nominated their candidate for a House seat in one of the nation’s most competitive congressional districts.

The nomination Saturday of David Young in Iowa’s 3rd District punctuates the efforts of Republicans in the party’s mainstream who have desperately worked to avoid repeating embarrassing losses suffered in congressional races in other states in 2010 and 2012.

Young is a former chief of staff for Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley. Young overcame an early lead from state Sen. Brad Zaun. A tea party-backed lawmaker, Zaun already has drawn criticism from Democrats who characterize him as extreme.

Young will face Democratic former state Sen. Staci Appel in the general election in November.