King polling for Iowa Senate bid, but hasn't made decision

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said he is engaging in necessary preparation for a statewide run, but insisted he had not yet finalized plans to seek retiring Sen. Tom Harkin's (D) seat in 2014.

“It’s not a secret, we’re going to go out and run statewide polling and do a real analytical look at this thing; by region, by media market, and all the questions you can legitimately ask,” King said at the Friday opening of a new congressional office in Iowa, according to the Ames Tribune. He did not offer a timetable for his decision.

King's potential primary opponent, Rep. Tom Latham (R), announced last week that he would not pursue the Republican nomination for Harkin's seat, removing the main barrier to King's nomination. King said that Latham's choice "simplifies the process some, but it probably doesn’t change the decision."

He said, however, that he hoped "my presence as a candidate didn’t affect [Latham’s] decision."

King has already received criticism from his likely Democratic opponent, Rep. Bruce Braley (D), who has indicated his interest in running for the seat. On Thursday, Braley's office hammered King for voting against the Violence Against Women Act.

King questioned the attack.

“Does he really want to start that?” he said Friday.

He said that, though he saw Braley on the flight back to Iowa Thursday night, he "decided not to bring it up."

--This piece was updated on March 5 to reflect the purpose of the office King opened on Friday.

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