Democrat Cindy Axne Blames Mitch McConnell for Lack of Progress in Congress

Freshman swing district Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA) blamed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Thursday for the lack of bills passed through Congress.

Axne, in a local Iowa radio interview, blamed McConnell for the lack of progress on bills passing through Congress’s upper chamber, saying:

I will lay that firmly at the foot of Mitch McConnell, he needs to step up and do his job. When you remove post office naming and things like funding the government you’re down to only about 50 bills that impact people’s lives have been signed into law. I voted for all 77 of those bills including the disaster funding for Iowa and the midwest and funding for 9/11 victims funds, giving veterans a cost of living adjustment, and so many other things. So I’m pleased about that.

Axne’s criticism of McConnell follows after the Iowa Democrat voted for both articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, charging the president with obstructing Congress and abusing the office of the presidency. The Democrats’ impeachment inquiry and has taken away time that lawmakers could have used to develop proposals to lower drug prices, improve infrastructure, and other Democrat priorities.

Axne represents one of the 31 congressional districts that Trump won during the 2016 presidential election, but House Democrats flipped during the 2018 midterm elections. Republicans hope to flip roughly 20 congressional districts during the 2020 elections to retake the House majority.

The Iowa Democrats’ comments follow an Associated Press report, which details her strategy to retake rural parts of Iowa’s third congressional district. Even though Axne defeated incumbent Rep. David Young (R-IA) by two percent in the 2018 midterm elections, she lost 15 of the Iowa third district’s counties.

Axne said:

What I’m trying to do getting out in rural areas is to show that it doesn’t matter what letter is behind my name, I’m doing the work for you, and I’m here to be your voice. I think we need to start breaking down that rural and urban divide that has been created in this country.

Young, who is running this cycle to retake his seat, noted that the Iowa Democrat has supported environmental regulations, opposed the Trump tax cuts, and a public health insurance option that would hurt rural Iowans.

“She talks of moderation and common sense when she’s in Iowa but in Washington, she votes 97% of the time with Nancy Pelosi,” said Young.

“She can spend time in the rural counties, and everybody should, but she’s getting no traction there,” he added.