Rep. Cindy Axne seeks re-election in Iowa’s 3rd U.S. House District

Cindy Axne, the lone Democrat in Iowa’s congressional delegation, announced Friday that she plans to seek re-election in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District next year.

Axne previously also considered running for the U.S. Senate or Iowa governor in 2022. She is serving her second two-year term in the U.S. House.

“Three years ago, I came to Congress to fight for Iowans and their needs. Since then, I’ve delivered tax cuts, disaster relief and critical support to Iowa's families and businesses,” Axne said in a social media post. “But my work is far from over, so I will seek to represent #IA03 again in 2022!”

Iowa’s 3rd District race likely will draw national attention as Democrats attempt to maintain their slim majority in the U.S. House. Democrats have a small voter registration advantage in the new 3rd District, which includes Polk and Dallas counties, plus much of south-central Iowa.

Four Republicans have declared their candidacy for the 3rd District race: state Sen. Zach Nunn of Altoona, former state Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa of Council Bluffs, businesswoman Nicole Hasso and activist Gary Leffler.

Hanusa announced her candidacy before redistricting, and her home of Council Bluffs is in the new 4th District.

Hanusa said Friday that she will not be running in the 4th District and is exploring her options for running in the 3rd. Members of Congress are not required to live in the district they represent and only need live in the state.

"I'm not running in the 4th District. I won't challenge our sitting member, Randy Feenstra, and I told him that,” she said about the first-term Republican congressman from Hull.

“I am still looking at the 3rd District. I'm making phone calls, talking to people. I'm sorry that the lines were drawn in such a way that southwest Iowa was split in two. I wish that weren't the case. But I do have a lot of support in the southwest Iowa counties still in the 3rd District. I'm exploring my options and seeing where I am. The campaign is not over at this point."