Iowa primaries set stage for November races

Iowa Democratic and Republican primary voters selected candidates on June 2 for this year’s midterm general elections.

Here’s where things stand.

U.S. Senate

Incumbent Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is not seeking reelection. 

Republicans nominated Rep. Ashley Hinson, a third-term member of Congress and a former television news reporter. With nearly all votes counted, she led former state Sen. Jim Carlin 74%-26%.

In the Democratic primary, state Rep. Josh Turek, a former professional wheelchair basketball player and two-time Paralympic gold medalist, led 63%- 37% over state Sen. Zach Wahls. 

The general election race is expected to be competitive; the Cook Political Report moved it from “likely Republican” to “lean Republican” based on the primary results.

U.S. House of Representatives

In Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, incumbent Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks won renomination 71%-28% over advertising executive David Pautsch. She will face Democratic former state House member Christina Bohannan, who led hospital clerk Travis Terrell 81%-19%. The contest will be a rematch of the 2024 election, in which Miller-Meeks prevailed by less than 800 votes. 

In the 2nd District, Democrats nominated state Rep. Lindsay James, who received 57% of the vote in a three-candidate primary, for Hinson’s open seat. Republicans picked former state Rep. Joe Mitchell 61%-38% over state Sen. Charlie McClintock. 

Republican incumbent Rep. Zach Nunn and Democratic challenger state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott had no primary opposition in the 3rd District. 

In the 4th District, former state Rep. Dave Dawson won the Democratic nomination with 39% in a three-way primary. Siouxland Chamber of Commerce president Chris McGowan was unopposed for the GOP nomination. The seat is open, vacated by Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra, who unsuccessfully ran in the Republican gubernatorial primary.

The Cook Political Report rates the 1st and 3rd congressional districts toss-ups, the 2nd District “likely Republican,” and the 4th District “solid Republican.”

Governor

State Auditor Rob Sand won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination with no primary opposition for the open seat of retiring Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Investment executive Zach Lahn won the Republican primary with 38% of the vote, narrowly besting Feenstra in a five-candidate race. 

The race is a toss-up, according to the Cook Political Report.

The parties will officially select their lieutenant governor nominees at conventions on June 13.

Other statewide offices

Republican incumbent Paul Pate will face Democratic investor Ryan Peterman in the secretary of state race.

Democratic former state Rep. Nate Willems will face incumbent Republican Brenna Bird in the attorney general contest.

Democrats nominated attorney Taylor Wettach and Republicans chose Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer as their candidates to replace Sand as state auditor.

Republican incumbent State Treasurer Roby Smith will be challenged in his reelection race by Democratic former Polk County Soil and Water Conservation Commissioner John Norwood.

Retired chemical engineer Chris Jones will be the Democratic nominee against incumbent Republican Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. 

Primaries were also held to choose candidates for all 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives and the half of the 50 seats in the Senate up for election this November, as well as county and township offices.

Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election will begin on Oct. 14.