The 50 American states send 435 men and women to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Most of them are little-known to anyone who doesn’t live in the district that sent them to Washington.

Steve King, a Republican from Kiron who has been in the U.S. House for a dozen years, does not fit that mold. King’s passion for assorted conservative issues has made him a nationally recognized politician who appears often on television and is quoted frequently in newspapers all over the nation. People who follow politics, even casually, are likely to know his name whether they agree with what he has to say or reject it.

King’s national notoriety tends to obscure the fact that he is an effective voice in the nation’s capital for a set of local issues vitally important to Iowa’s 4th Congressional District.

This northwest Iowa district is heavily rural. It is one of a handful of congressional districts that lead the nation in egg and pork production. Its farms grow enormous corn and soybean crops. It ranks at or very near the top of all national venues in the production of ethanol and wind energy. It is a key contributor to the national effort to increase renewable-energy generation.

The nature of the northwestern Iowa economy makes keeping King the 4th District’s representative in Congress important. His committee assignments put him at the very center of decision making about agricultural issues.

King is a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and also chairs the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight and Nutrition. Additionally, he serves on the Subcommittee on Livestock, Rural Development and Credit. His leadership roles in these key congressional bodies put him in a position to help shape a plethora of federal policies that will influence the economic future of rural Iowa.

King also is among the strongest voices in Washington in support of the biofuels industries and wind power. Keeping America’s commitment to these renewable-energy initiatives strong is crucial if the goal of energy independence for the United States is to be achieved. These ventures also help keep northwest Iowa prosperous.

Steve King’s continued service in Congress is good for northwestern Iowa. The Messenger supports his re-election.