Rep. Latham defeats Rep. Boswell in Iowa race

Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa) has defeated Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) in their combined district.

Latham leads Boswell by 51 percent to 45, with 85 percent of precincts reporting. The Associated Press has called the race.

The Republican congressman, a close friend of House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), had to move to run against Boswell after Iowa lost a congressional seat due to slow population growth. He had a huge fundraising edge over the cash-strapped Democrat in the race and used it to assail him on the airwaves during the summer, which may have proven decisive in the swing district.