116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Republicans hold cash edge in Iowa congressional races heading into 2026
Iowa Republicans stockpile cash as 2026 congressional races heat up
Feb. 2, 2026 5:30 pm
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
Republicans hold the cash advantage in Iowa’s congressional races heading into 2026, as the party braces for a difficult fight to hold its slim U.S. House majority.
That effort was on display last week when President Donald Trump held a rally in Iowa to kick off his support for Republican candidates in this fall’s midterm elections. Three members of Iowa’s all-Republican congressional delegation — U.S. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson and Zach Nunn — spoke ahead of the president, praising the administration’s policies and urging voters to keep Iowa red in 2026.
New year-end campaign finance reports, covering the fourth quarter from October through the end of December 2025, show Republicans entering the election year with stronger cash reserves in Iowa’s most closely watched House contests — even as Democrats signal they are prepared to spend heavily in races expected to draw national attention.
Overall, new Federal Election Commission filings show GOP incumbents in competitive districts slightly outraised their Democratic challengers on average in the fourth quarter, with several Republicans amassing sizable war chests heading into the 2026 midterms. And the party’s House campaign arm also narrowly outraised Democrats’ for the first time in an odd-numbered year in a decade — underscoring a financial advantage that contrasts with recent midterm cycles, according to a POLITICO analysis.
Republicans, though, face political headwinds, including generic ballot polls favoring Democrats and recent special election results where Democrats have largely outperformed Republicans.
Iowa’s 1st Congressional District
Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, of Ottumwa, posted another strong quarter of fundraising, but was narrowly outraised by Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan, who is mounting her third bid to unseat the incumbent.
Bohannan, a University of Iowa law professor and former state representative, raised just over $1.1 million in the final quarter of 2025, edging out Miller-Meeks, who finished just below that mark. Despite the slight fundraising gap, Miller-Meeks entered the election year with a clear cash advantage, with more than $3.3 million cash on hand compared to Bohannan’s $2.3 million.
Overall, Miller-Meeks has raised almost $4.6 million total for the cycle to Bohannan’s roughly $3.1 million.
Of the nearly $1.1 million raised by Miller-Meeks during the fourth quarter, about $442,000 came from individual donors, and about $625,000 from political action committees and transfers from joint fundraising committees.
Roughly $1 million of the $1.14 million raised by Bohannan at the end of last year came from individual donors, and about $62,000 from political action committees.
Democrat Taylor Wettach, a Muscatine native and attorney who ended his congressional bid last week to run for Iowa state auditor, reported more than $254,000 raised during the quarter. He raised more than $683,000 overall and ended the year with more than $375,000 cash on hand.
Another Democratic candidate, Travis Terrell, a health care worker from Tiffin, had not yet filed a year-end report as of Monday afternoon.
On the Republican side, Davenport resident David Pautsch — who challenged Miller-Meeks in the 2024 GOP primary — reported more than $18,000 raised during the quarter, $44,000 total this cycle and more than $11,000 cash on hand. Pautsch took 44 percent of the vote in last year’s primary.
Miller-Meeks, a three-term incumbent, has survived razor-thin elections and once again finds herself at the center of national Democratic targeting. The 20-county district — which includes Davenport, Iowa City, Burlington and Indianola — is widely viewed as one of the most competitive House seats in the country this election cycle.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball and Inside Elections all rate the race as a “toss-up.”
Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District
Fundraising in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District reflects the rapidly shifting dynamics of an open-seat race following Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s decision to run for U.S. Senate.
Joe Mitchell, a former state legislator and Trump administration appointee from Clear Lake, reported more than $700,000 raised by the end of 2025 and more than $575,000 cash on hand. Mitchell entered the race in September after Hinson launched her Senate bid.
State Rep. Shannon Lundgren, a Republican from Peosta who last week announced she was stepping away from the congressional race to focus on retaining her Iowa House seat, raised more than $83,000 and ended the year with more than $53,000 cash on hand. State Sen. Charlie McClintock, R-Alburnett, reported more than $15,000 raised for the cycle and nearly $14,000 cash on hand.
Mitchell’s position as the GOP front-runner was cemented last week after Trump endorsed him in a Truth Social post following a rally in Clive. The endorsement came a day after Lundgren announced she was suspending her campaign.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson also endorsed Mitchell, saying he would help House Republicans “continue to deliver safe streets, secure border, lower costs, a strong economy, and peace through strength.”
Mitchell has also secured endorsements from U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Turning Point Action. While he technically faces a primary challenge from McClintock, Trump’s endorsement is expected to all but lock up the nomination.
On the Democratic side, state Rep. Lindsay James of Dubuque reported more than $180,000 raised during the fourth quarter, $454,000 total this cycle and more than $302,000 cash on hand. Clint Twedt-Ball, a Cedar Rapids resident and cofounder of the nonprofit Matthew 25, raised more than $114,000 during the quarter, $333,000 overall and ended the year with more than $153,000 cash on hand.
Kathy Dolter, a retired Army nurse and former dean of nursing at Kirkwood Community College, reported more than $46,000 raised in total and about $4,500 cash on hand. Guy Morgan, a first-time candidate from Boone, reported roughly $4,800 raised and $1,600 cash on hand. Independent candidate Dave Bushaw, a musician and farmland owner from Fayette County, raised about $7,000 and reported roughly $5,000 cash on hand.
The Cook Political Report recently shifted its rating of the district from “Solid Republican” to “Likely Republican,” citing improved Democratic opportunities in the open-seat race.
The 22-county district includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Dubuque, Decorah, Grinnell and Mason City.
Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, reported raising more than $535,000 during the fourth quarter — bringing his total for the election cycle to nearly $2.7 million and leaving him with almost $2 million in cash on hand.
Democratic challenger Sarah Trone Garriott, a state senator from West Des Moines, raised about $430,000 in Q4 — bringing her total this cycle to nearly $1.4 million and ended the year with about $847,000 cash on hand.
Xavier Carrigan, a Democrat from Waukee, did not file a report.
State Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, a Democrat from Windsor Heights, who last week announced she was suspending her congressional campaign and endorsed Trone Garriott, reported raising a total of more than $590,000 and had about $213,000 in cash on hand.
The 3rd District, which stretches across central and southern Iowa, has historically been one of the state’s most competitive. Nunn flipped the seat in 2022 after defeating incumbent Democrat Cindy Axne and won re-election narrowly in 2024. Both national parties have already signaled plans to heavily invest in the district again in 2026.
Iowa’s 4th Congressional District
Since U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, who represents Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, launched an exploratory campaign for governor in May after Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she will not seek re-election next year, the field of candidates vying for his seat has narrowed but remains crowded.
The 4th District is the largest congressional district in Iowa and also the reddest. It encompasses 36 counties in the Western and North-Central parts of the state.
There are currently five Republicans running, including Siouxland Chamber of Commerce President Chris McGowan of Sioux City, Iowa state Rep. Matt Windschitl of Missouri Valley, Iowa Tea Party founder Ryan Rhodes of Ames and Christian Schlaefer of Kossuth County.
Air Force combat veteran Douglas Jensen of Silver City dropped out of the race in December after learning that his wife, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force, will be deployed overseas. Jensen raised about $23,000 this quarter, $20,000 of which came from a loan. He ended with more than $4,600 in cash on hand.
McGowan, who had a significant fundraising edge over the other Republican candidates last fundraising quarter, raised about $136,000 this quarter, ending with $354,000 in cash on hand.
Rhodes, who launched his campaign in July, came in close to McGowan, raising about $131,600 during this period and ending with about $170,500 in cash on hand. Last fundraising quarter, his reports showed that he took out a $100,000 loan.
Windschitl, who stepped down from his position as House Majority leader in July to run for Congress, did not raise any money this quarter. He had about $46,800 in cash on hand.
Farmer and land appraiser Kyle Larsen of Humboldt ended his campaign in September, citing financial headwinds.
Former Democratic State Rep. Dave Dawson of Lawton, Storm Lake stay-at-home mom and former education assistant Ashley WolfTornabane and Sutherland nurse Stephanie Steiner are running as Democrats.
Dawson raised about $18,000 this quarter and had nearly $30,000 in cash on hand.
WolfTornabane was the first Democrat to enter the race in July after Democrat Ryan Melton suspended his campaign in June, citing finances and time away from family. WolfTornabane raised roughly $2,000 this quarter, ending with $1,600 in cash on hand.
Steiner did not file fundraising numbers for this quarter.
Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com
Daily Newsletters