Iowa state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott defeated Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA), marking the first time a Democrat will represent the Hawkeye State in Congress since Nunn flipped the seat in 2022.
Trone Garriott led with 54.6% when the Associated Press called the race at 12:03 a.m. Nunn came in behind the Iowa Democrat at 45.4% for a seat President Donald Trump won by about 4 points in 2024. Nunn won similarly by roughly 4 points in his first reelection campaign since ousting a Democrat in 2022.
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Trone Garriott, an ordained Lutheran pastor, flipped a Republican-held state Senate seat in 2020. She then moved her family in 2022 to run against then-Senate President Jake Chapman, whom she also ousted. She went on to defend her seat successfully in 2024, despite Trump carrying the district.
Nunn frequently targeted Trone Garriott for votes in the state legislature against banning biological males from women’s sports. During the congressional campaign, Trone Garriott cut a direct-to-camera ad in which she said she does not think boys should play in girls’ sports.
Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District includes Des Moines, as well as much of the southern part of the state.
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Nunn considered a run for governor this cycle but was convinced by Trump and congressional leaders to remain in his race as Republicans stared down a difficult midterm environment, to maximize the GOP’s chances of holding the seat.
The race is one of three competitive House races in Iowa this cycle, in addition to tight battles in the gubernatorial and Senate contests.