Iowa 3: Will a Wave Crash on Nunn?
Des Moines, Iowa can’t help but find itself at the center of the political universe. The Hawkeye State’s largest city is an important piece in the competitive Senate and gubernatorial races this fall — but its starring role will be in the 3rd Congressional District, where Republican Rep. Zach Nunn faces his toughest re-election yet.
Nunn won one of the closest House races of 2022, flipping a top GOP target, and clinched re-election in 2024 thanks in part to a stronger-than-expected performance by Donald Trump at the top of the ticket.
This cycle, Iowa Democrats are feeling rejuvenated, with a strong candidate for governor and a shot at reclaiming liberal lion Tom Harkin’s Senate seat after two terms of GOP control.
But Nunn has frustrated his Democratic opponents for years, evading attacks on his voting record and background in expensive and competitive races up and down the ballot.
Will a favorable political environment make this the year Democrats finally win back a congressional seat by ousting Nunn? Or will their dreams fall flat in the fields of southwestern Iowa? The answer will help determine how big a potential Democratic House majority is next year.
The Lay of the Land
The 3rd District is a southwest Iowa seat that includes all of Polk County (Des Moines) as well as 20 other, more rural counties to the west and south.
Polk County accounts for roughly 60 percent of the votes in the 3rd, while neighboring Dallas County accounts for another 15 percent. No…
