Iowa Democrat Christina Bohannan Criticized Over Resurfaced 'Overreaction' Comments on 'Back the Blue' Law

Christina Bohannan, the Democratic nominee in a closely contested Iowa House race, is facing criticism following the resurfacing of a 2021 clip in which she described a state law supporting law enforcement as an "overreaction." The comments, made during a virtual legislative forum on social justice issues, have been seized upon by Republican opponents who characterize them as indicative of a soft-on-crime stance.

In the 2021 forum, Bohannan stated, "I think that we’re seeing a backlash and, frankly, an exaggerated backlash, an overreaction to all of that." She also remarked, "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."

Republicans have used these remarks to attack Bohannan's campaign against incumbent Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa. Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, called Bohannan "the ultra-rare final boss level of woke where police are bad, criminals are good and anyone who disagrees is racist." He added, "There is a reason why this DEI queen has been rejected twice by voters. She is straight up nuts, and her soft-on-crime agenda would endanger all Iowans."

Bohannan, a former professor at the University of Iowa College of Law, is making her third bid for Iowa's 1st Congressional District. She lost to Miller-Meeks by a 53.4% to 46.6% margin in 2022 and a significantly closer race in 2024, by just 799 votes, or 50.0% to 49.8%.

The law in question, Senate File 342, was signed by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds in 2021. It increased penalties for rioting, designating it a class D felony, and imposed stricter punishments for unlawful assembly. The legislation was enacted in the aftermath of widespread protests following the murder of George Floyd.

At the time of the bill's passage, proponents framed it as a necessary measure to support law enforcement during a period of increased scrutiny. State Rep. Jarad Klein, the bill's sponsor, argued on the House floor that voting against it would render claims of supporting law enforcement meaningless. Governor Reynolds echoed this sentiment, stating the bill embodied her commitment to supporting law enforcement and protecting public peace and officer safety.

Bohannan, however, expressed concerns that the bill went too far. She specifically cited a provision that could offer immunity to drivers who injured protesters under certain circumstances, stating, "The bill that’s coming over to the House from the Senate about the protestors actually would make it OK for a person to drive negligently or grossly negligently and hit a protester, and there would be immunity for that. It’s sick. These are kids, mostly."

The final version of the bill does include a provision protecting drivers from civil liability, but it is contingent on the driver exercising due care and the injury occurring to someone engaging in disorderly conduct by blocking traffic. Bohannan's campaign did not respond to requests for comment regarding her past statements or current views on the "Back the Blue" law.