Latest news with #IowaCongress
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican state Sen. Lynn Evans drops bid for Iowa's 4th Congressional District
Republican State Sen. Lynn Evans has dropped out of the race for Iowa's 4th Congressional District. Evans, of Aurelia, launched an exploratory committee on May 17 as he considered a congressional bid. He announced Wednesday, July 9, that he would instead seek reelection to the Iowa Senate in 2026. "After visiting with hundreds of Iowans over the past six weeks, and much self-reflection, my passion remains with our work in the Iowa Senate and at the Capitol in Des Moines," Evans said in a news release. "I remain grateful for this opportunity given to me by my constituents. I intend to earn their continued support between now and next November." Evans' announcement comes the same week that Iowa House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, announced he would seek the Republican nomination in the 4th District. Siouxland Chamber of Commerce President Chris McGowan announced his campaign in late June. Iowa's 4th Congressional District is the most conservative of Iowa's four congressional districts, spanning 36 counties in northwestern Iowa and along the full western edge of the state. The seat is expected to be open in 2026 after incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra filed paperwork May 12 to form an exploratory committee to run for governor. Evans was elected to the Iowa Senate in 2022, representing Senate District 3, which includes Buena Vista, Osceola and O'Brien counties and portions of Cherokee and Clay counties. He chairs the Senate Education Committee. Evans touted the work he has done in the Iowa Senate on education issues, restricting abortion, cutting taxes, passing "fiscally responsible budgets" and limiting eminent domain use. "This work will continue over the next few years, and I remain as committed to this work as I have been since entering the Iowa Senate in 2022," he said. Democrat Ryan Melton, who ran against Feenstra in 2022 and 2026, had announced he would run again in 2026. But he suspended his campaign in June, citing changes to his health and employment status. Democrat Ashley WolfTornabane announced her campaign on July 4. Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@ or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: GOP Sen. Lynn Evans won't run for Iowa's 4th Congressional District
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Christina Bohannan feels empowered by close 2024 finish and toss-up of IA-01 race in 2026
Jul. 4—Democrat Christina Bohannan doesn't feel defeated. In fact, she is emboldened by her narrow loss to Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks back in 2024, which was decided by less than 800 votes. Knowing victory was close, her third campaign for Congress is motivated to get those votes she lost. During a recent trip to Newton, Bohannan told local Democrats that she will be giving extra attention on Jasper County and Warren County for 2026. The candidate said her campaign outperformed expectations during the last election, only losing to Miller-Meeks by a 0.2 percent margin. "Outperformed by more than eight points across the entire district, by 15 points in the more rural and reddest counties in the district; 33,000 people who voted for Donald Trump also voted for me," Bohannan said on June 28 in Maytag Park. "And that doesn't just happen, friends. That kind of stuff doesn't just happen." Bohannan credited the work to local parties and supporters who donated to her campaign or knocked doors. It made a difference, she said, and it was because that race was so close is why she was standing in front of them again, ready to take on Miller-Meeks once more. However, Bohannan is convinced the 2026 election cycle is going to be different. She noted that in the past the race for Iowa's 1st Congressional District has been favored for Republicans, which was certainly true in Bohannan's first bid for the seat back in 2022. It took work from 2024 to make the election a toss-up. Christina Bohannan, a Democratic candidate seeking her third bid for Iowa's 1st Congressional District seat, speaks during a potluck picnic hosted by the Jasper County Democratic Party on June 28 in Maytag Park in Newton. For 2026, Bohannan said the seat is already considered a toss-up race, a notion that is backed up by a number of political analysts and the results from 2024. "We showed we can win," Bohannan said. "...People are fed up and they are fired up. We have been seeing these rallies. Some of them I know went to some of those recently. Hundreds and thousands of people are showing up to protest representatives like Mariannette Miller-Meeks all throughout Iowa." Why? Bohannan claimed it is because Miller-Meeks does not represent her constituents and gets her political agenda from party leaders. The Democratic candidate argued her Republican opponent is compromised and votes by what her donors and corporate PACs want, rather than the people she represents. "I get my political agenda from you," Bohannan said. Miller-Meeks is "making life worse for Iowans" and is putting "party bosses, corporate PACs and billionaire donors" ahead of her own constituents. Bohannan said she cannot stand by and let that happen. Miller-Meeks has had three terms in Congress. To Bohannan, she has had three chances to do right by Iowans. "And every single time she has sold us out," Bohannan said. "She has sold us out to divisive party politics. She has sold us out to the billionaires and the corporate PACs who fund her campaign and who help her get re-elected no matter how bad she's been. But enough is enough. It is time for a change."
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ryan Melton suspends campaign for Iowa 4th Congressional District
Ryan Melton announced Tuesday he is suspending his campaign for the 4th Congressional District seat in Iowa. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Ryan Melton, a Democratic candidate for Iowa's 4th Congressional District who ran in 2022 and 2024, has suspended his campaign due to personal matters, including his job and family. Melton announced the suspension on social media Tuesday, saying it was one of the 'toughest decisions' he's ever made. 'It was an honor to fight the good fight on your behalf, and I will continue to, just in different ways,' Melton said in his post. 'It's the biggest sacrifice I've ever made for the greater good, but I don't regret a single minute, and am proud of the fact that the party out here in the 4th is in a much better place now than it was when I first began running.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Reasons he gave for stepping out of the race included recently losing his job at Nationwide Insurance due to company reorganization and the need to find a new job to support his family, as well as dealing with a health concern. He added he wants to stay home for his wife and 6-year-old son. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, who won elections against Melton for the district in 2022 and 2024, has launched an exploratory committee for a possible gubernatorial run in Iowa. Sen. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, has made a similar move for the 4th Congressional District. The district spans much of northwest Iowa and includes Ames, Council Bluffs and Sioux City. Between his two campaigns, Melton said in his post his vote shares across the district's 36 counties either stayed steady or grew, a fact he is proud of achieving as someone with a full-time job, family and no funding from political action committees representing corporate interests. Melton said in his post he's been happy to hear from first-time political candidates from across the state who have reached out, and said he'll be rooting for them. He also encouraged everyday people to run for office, even if they don't know how everything works or don't have the funds or industry support to get their name out there right away. 'We need more working people that struggle every day along with most Americans to run for every office, and I'll always make time for you if you want to call me to inquire,' Melton said in his post. 'Also, even if you are in a district that may seem unwinnable on Election Day, run anyway, because if you tell the truth and run as a sacrifice for the greater good, you'll find so many wins out there.' Travis Terrell, a Democrat running in Iowa's 1st Congressional District, said in a social media post Melton was one of the first people he called — and one of the few who responded — when launching his campaign. Melton made 'an extremely powerful point' in his announcement that more working people need to get out and run for office. 'We need working class voices to fight, let's be honest, the rich and powerful are not going to save us when they're the one's holding us down,' Terrell said in his post. 'It takes real people to power real change. Thank you Ryan.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former congressional candidate seeks third match against Miller-Meeks
The Democrat who's faced off against Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) twice and came within 1,000 voters of ousting her last year has announced she'll try to defeat the incumbent a third time. Christina Bohannan, who formerly served in the Iowa State House, launched her third straight campaign for Iowa's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, seeking to build on her 2024 performance in which she nearly pulled off an upset. Bohannan said Miller-Meeks has had 'three chances to do right by the people of Iowa' in her three House times but accused her of putting 'partisan politics over Iowans.' 'From cutting Medicaid, to siding with DOGE's devastating cuts to Social Security, to enabling unelected, unaccountable billionaires like Elon Musk – Miller-Meeks has forgotten about us,' Bohannan said. 'It's time someone put Iowa first.' Bohannan first ran for the House in 2022 but lost to Miller-Meeks by 7 points. But she ran in one of the closest races of the 2024 cycle last year in a rematch, losing by less than two tenths of a point in a contest that went to a recount. Her campaign noted that she outraised Miller-Meeks by $1.4 million last cycle and outperformed the Democratic presidential ticket by 8.2 points, more than any other candidate facing an incumbent Republican that the national party targeted. It argued her performance forced Cook Political Report and other election analysts to consider the race a toss-up heading into next year. House Republicans' campaign arm spokeswoman Emily Tuttle cast doubt on Bohannan's chances of pulling off a win after two unsuccessful attempts. 'When will Christina learn? Iowans have rejected her twice already, and now she has to run to the left to beat radical Bob Kraus and Bernie-bro Travis Terrell in the primary,' Tuttle said, referring to the two other Democrats already in the race. 'There's no doubt whoever comes out of this liberal rat race will be sent packing when Iowans re-elect America First fighter Mariannette Miller-Meeks next fall,' she added. The seat could be key as Democrats seek to win back control of the House, where they currently have a narrow minority. Updated at 8:11 a.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Christina Bohannon announces 3rd run for Iowa's 1st Congressional District
Democrat Christina Bohannan announced her third consecutive run for Iowa's 1st Congressional District in the 2024 race between Bohannan and Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks. Miller-Meeks won by a less than one percent margin. Bohannan says she plans to run on a campaign of focusing on people in the district instead of political parties and Washington D.C. 'I didn't know whether I would run again, but I have been getting hundreds of calls, emails, texts and good old fashioned letters in the mail from people really strongly encouraging me to run again,' Bohannon told Our Quad Cities News. 'You know, they met me during the course of the campaign. I spent the better part of the last four years I traveled to every corner of the district and talking to people.' As of right now, two other Democrats Bob Kraus and Travis Terrell are also in the race for the seat. In response to Bohannan's announcement, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee said in part, 'There's no doubt whoever comes out of this liberal rat race will be sent send packing when Iowans re-elect America First fighter Mariannette Miller-Meeks next fall.' Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann also responded, saying in part, 'Two-time loser Christina Bohannan is back, trying for strike three in a crowded primary where even her own party knows she can't win.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
