Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights announced Thursday she will run for Congress in Iowa's 3rd District in 2026.
The Democratic leader said she will step down from her role as House minority leader after the current legislative session to focus on her campaign, but will continue serving as a state representative.
Konfrst said her decision to run comes from her family ties to the district and concerns from Iowans she said feel left behind.
"People feel like they are not being heard and they're not being fought for in Washington," she said. "One of my favorite things to do is to serve the people of my district, and this is an opportunity for me to serve more people, and that means a lot to me. So I'm excited and ready to go."
Iowa's 3rd District is considered one of the most competitive in the country and one that could help determine the balance of power in the U.S. House, where Republicans hold a slim majority. The district is made up of 21 counties in central and southern Iowa including the communities of Des Moines, Adel, Osceloa, Ottumwa and Centerville.
The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, who is serving his second term after defeating Democratic challenger Lanon Baccam last year. Nunn unseated Democrat Cindy Axne when he was elected to his first term in 2022 and is expected to run for a third term.
Konfrst is an associate professor of public relations at Drake University in Des Moines and resides in Windsor Heights with her husband. She criticized Nunn for not engaging with 3rd District communities, and for not standing up against proposed cuts by the Trump administration.
"One of my biggest reasons for doing this is that Iowans in the district I grew up — in the district my mom grew up in — they deserve better than someone who's ignoring their needs and just listening and voting the party line."
Konfrst was first elected to the Iowa House in 2018 and is now serving her fourth term. She was elected House Minority Leader by her party members in 2021, making her the first woman to serve in the role.
She said her platform is focused on "making life a little easier for Iowans when it comes to their pocketbooks and their wallets."
"Iowans don't want to have to think about Washington. They don't want to have to think about Des Moines," she said. "They want to be able to think about whether or not they'll be able to pay their bills, whether or not they'll be able to send their kids to college, their social security check is coming, and they can afford, you know, if they get sick, they can afford to get better. Those are the things Iowans are focused on."
Ahead of last year's election in October, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report categorized the 3rd District race as a "toss up." Currently, the Cook Political Report ranks the 3rd District 2026 race as "lean Republican."
In an interview with WHO Radio this month, Nunn confirmed he will not be running for governor of Iowa and plans to stay in Washington, D.C., to focus on border security, energy independence and lowering taxes.
In a statement released Thursday morning, the National Republican Congressional Committee criticized Konfrst.
“Out of touch Democrat Jennifer Konfrst is an ineffective ‘leader’ of an ineffective and shrinking super minority. Now, she and radical Sarah Trone Garriott will fight to be the most extreme Democrat left standing after a messy primary, while Zach Nunn delivers results for Iowans."
Earlier this week, state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott of West Des Moines was the first Democrat to launch her campaign for the 3rd District seat. Democratic state Rep. Austin Baeth of Des Moines is also considering running for the congressional seat, as first reported by Gray Media.
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This story was updated at 9 a.m. on May 8, 2025, to include comments from the National Republican Congressional Committee.
