House 90: Adam Zabner advances to November election

IOWA CITY — Democrat Adam Zabner, one of the first Latinos to seek a seat in the Iowa House, is advancing to the Nov. 8 general election after a Tuesday primary victory.

No Republican is seeking the House District 90 seat, which represents north Iowa City. And while a Republican could be nominated at a county convention, it’s likely Zabner, 23, will be in the Statehouse in 2023.

The seat is currently held by Democrat Rep. Christina Bohannan, who is running for Congress.

Zabner told The Gazette he is excited about representing the district but isn’t taking anything for granted.

“We’re running this race all the way through the general,” he said Tuesday night.

Three Iowa City Democrats ran for the seat, with Andrew Dunn trailing Zabner and Christy Wolfe coming in third.

Zabner said he will likely be the first, or one of the first, Latino Democrats in the Iowa Legislature — something he is proud of and doesn’t take lightly.

“I’m really excited to do everything I can to help my fellow Johnson County Democrats win in November,” he said.

Zabner, who was born and raised in Iowa City, said he voted in the morning and talked to voters throughout the day. His parents came to Iowa from Venezuela 30 years ago.

He told The Gazette he was running because he believes Iowa should reinvest in young people and in education. He also wants to be a leader on big issues such as climate change.

His top priorities, if elected, also include making public universities and community colleges tuition free for students who commit to staying in Iowa after graduation; connecting Iowa City to Chicago via Amtrak to spur economic growth; and restoring bargaining rights to public employees to strengthen unions and to raise the state’s minimum wage.

Zabner has worked as a field organizer for political campaigns and the Democratic Party. He was an organizer for Pete Buttigieg and then was the regional organizing director in northwest Iowa for the state party’s 2020 campaign.

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