Two more Republican candidates, Joe Mitchell and Christian Schlaefer, have declared their campaigns for congressional seats in Iowa.
The GOP primary race for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District opened up last week when incumbent U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson entered the 2026 U.S. Senate race after U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst announced she would not seek reelection.
Following Hinson’s announcement, several Republicans expressed interest in running for the now open seat, including former U.S. Rep. Rod Blum and Iowa Rep. Shannon Lundgren, R-Peosta. State Sen. Charlie McClintock, R-Alburnett, officially announced his campaign for the position Sept. 4, writing in a social media post, “as one of Iowa’s first endorsers of President Trump and supporters for his reelection campaign, I understand the Republican platform and the importance of an America First agenda.”
On Monday, Joe Mitchell joined the primary field. Mitchell, a former state lawmaker and the founder of Run Gen Z, a young conservative organization, most recently worked for the Trump administration as a regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He also previously served as chief of staff at the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
In a statement on his campaign website, Mitchell said he is running for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District because “too many Iowans have been left behind by a broken political system that works for insiders and lobbyists, not for us.” He said he would work to lower government spending and support President Donald Trump if elected.
“For too long, politicians in Washington have wasted our tax dollars and cut backroom deals while working families pay the price,” Mitchell said. “I’ll work with President Trump to end reckless spending, secure our borders, protect our farmers, and build an economy where hard work pays again. It’s time to take power back from the insiders and return it to the people of Iowa — where it belongs.”
But Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Katie Smith said Mitchell himself was a “Des Moines insider and career politician.”
“He’s just the latest in what’s going to be a long line of out-of-touch Republicans running in Iowa’s 2nd district and fighting over who will best cater to Washington special interests and billionaires,” Smith said in a statement. “We’re going to flip this seat because Iowans are ready for someone who takes on business-as-usual to lower families’ costs and put their communities first.”
There are currently three Democrats running for the seat — state Rep. Lindsay James, D-Dubuque, Matthew 25 Founder Clint Twedt-Ball and Kathy Dolter, the former dean of nursing at Kirkwood Community College.
Christian Schlaefer enters 4th District GOP primary, calls for debate
In Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, a new Republican entered the race. Christian Schlaefer, a 29-year-old software consultant from Lakota, launched his campaign for the GOP nomination Saturday at the Clay County Fair. He and his wife have a homestead farm, and he also serves as a firefighter and guest preacher in his community.
Schlaefer said in a news release that he is running for the seat in 2026 to “preserve American values” through conservative policies.
“I’m not a career politician. I am just a farmer and workingman with passion for Iowa and the American People,” Schlaefer said in a statement. “It’s time we restore small-town America — built by Main Street and the Church — and fight for what it truly means to be an American.”
He is joining a crowded GOP primary field for the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, who has an “exploratory” committee for Iowa governor. Among the Republican candidates running to succeed Feenstra are former Iowa House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce President Chris McGowan, farmer and land appraiser Kyle Larsen and Iowa Tea Party Founder Ryan Rhodes.
Schlaefer called for a GOP primary debate to narrow the field.
“There are five candidates in this race,” Schlaefer said. “That’s too many. Rather than wasting time and money of everyday Iowans, I ask that they join me in debate — so the People, not political consultants, decide who can best carry their voice to Washington.”
Two Democrats — Ashley Wolf Tornabane and Stephanie Steiner — have also announced their campaigns for the 4th Congressional District, which is considered a longtime conservative stronghold.
Robin Opsahl covers the Iowa Legislature and politics for Iowa Capital Dispatch, where this story first appeared.
