Unearthed clip exposes what 'DEI Queen' in razor-thin House race thought of 'Back the Blue' law

Christina Bohannan, the Democratic nominee for Iowa’s 1st congressional district, has once again found herself at the center of a political storm after a 2021 comment about a state “Back the Blue” law resurfaced on national television. In the clip, the Iowa state legislator said the bill was an “overreaction,” a statement that critics say underscores a perceived soft‑on‑crime stance that has repeatedly cost her the support of voters in the Hawkeye State.

Bohannan’s remarks were made during a virtual legislative forum held in 2021, when the Iowa Legislature was debating Senate File 342. The measure, signed by Governor Kim Reynolds in June 2021, raised penalties for rioting and unlawful assembly, making such offenses a class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison. It also included a provision that would protect drivers from civil liability when they negligently struck protesters, so long as the drivers were “exercising due care.”

“I think that we’re seeing a backlash and, frankly, an exaggerated backlash, an overreaction to all of that,” Bohannan told the audience. “That’s what’s happening. A lot of this is happening because they just don’t have a lot of minorities in their districts. They don’t interact with people on any kind of regular basis, and, so, they don’t see these issues.” She went on to describe the bill as “sick” and added that most of the protesters she referred to were children. The statement was followed by a claim that the legislation would “make it OK for a person to drive negligently or grossly negligently and hit a protester, and there would be immunity for that.”

The law, dubbed “Back the Blue,” was introduced in the wake of nationwide unrest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. While many states moved to curtail police powers, Iowa lawmakers rallied to support law enforcement, with Republican Rep. Jarad Klein framing the bill as a “clear way to support embattled public servants.” Governor Reynolds echoed that sentiment in a press release, noting that “Iowa’s law enforcement will always have my respect, and I will always have their back.”

Bohannan’s opposition to the bill, however, has become a point of contention in her current congressional campaign. Republican opponents, including a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, have seized on the comments to paint her as a “DEI queen” who is “straight up nuts” and whose “soft‑on‑crime agenda would endanger all Iowans.” Zach Kraft, the RNC’s spokesperson, said: “Christina Bohannan achieved the ultra‑rare final boss [level of woke] where police are bad, criminals are good and anyone who disagrees is racist.”

The criticism has a long history. Bohannan was first elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2020, unseating a two‑decade Democratic incumbent. Since then she has run for Congress twice, losing in 2022 by a 6.8‑point margin (53.4% to 46.6%) and in 2024 by a razor‑thin 0.2‑point margin (50.0% to 49.8%), a difference of just 799 votes. In each race, Republican challengers have highlighted her academic background and her legislative record as evidence of a “soft‑on‑crime” platform.

Her campaign, however, has not yet responded to requests for comment on the resurfaced statements. The absence of a public rebuttal or clarification has left the narrative largely in the hands of her opponents.

For context, Bohannan’s background is rooted in academia. She taught at the University of Iowa College of Law until 2020 before entering politics. Her transition to public office was marked by a focus on education, civil rights, and public safety, themes that she has carried into her congressional bid.

The “Back the Blue” law itself remains in force, with the controversial driver‑immunity provision still on the books. While the provision technically protects drivers who “exercising due care” from civil liability when they hit protesters, it does not extend protection to drivers who are grossly negligent or driving recklessly.

As the 2026 election cycle approaches, the debate over law‑enforcement policy and criminal‑justice reform is poised to intensify in Iowa. Bohannan’s resurfaced comments, once again spotlighting her opposition to a law championed by her party’s leadership, underscore the delicate balance she must strike between her progressive credentials and the more conservative sentiments of Iowa’s electorate. Whether she can shift the narrative or whether her opponents can continue to paint her as a “soft‑on‑crime” candidate remains to be seen as the race for Iowa’s 1st district heats up.