Richard Sherzan thinks he has the winning message for Democrats in 2026.
While the GOP has touted what the president calls “America First” policies, Sherzan says Democrats need to rally around a “New West” platform.
“I am offering the Democratic party and the voters of Iowa a New West economic agenda,” he said. “And that agenda essentially involves a new all-America partnership involving the public and private sectors, business labor, and America’s colleges and universities.”
Since the 1970s, Sherzan said the United States has shifted away from pursuing domestic public-private partnerships as many industries have globalized. He said the American manufacturing sector suffered as a result, with multinational corporations seeking talent and profit elsewhere.
He added that the disappearance of the American manufacturing base contributed to flaws with the North American Free Trade Agreement and presents holes in the president’s America First agenda.
“Their theory is, like NAFTA, if you can just incentivize that American manufacturing industrial base enough, then it will work for America. But it won’t, because it doesn’t exist anymore,” Sherzan said.
The solution, he said, is building more robust public-private partnerships akin to the development of the first transcontinental railroad, rural electrification, or going to the moon.
“The national government saw a need in times of crisis, so the American democratic government intervened to provide the leadership and direction that were needed to realize and to reach goals that were required for the security and the prosperity of the American people,” Sherzan said. “That’s the kind of time we’re in now.”
He hopes to harness this philosophy to provide Iowans with cleaner water and ensure that health care and higher education are recognized as individual rights under the Constitution.
“I think it’s time for American democracy to realize its promises under our founding documents, the Declaration and the Constitution,” Sherzan said. “It’s time for a new standard of life for the American people. We can afford that. I mean, look around you. We can afford that.”
As part of his agenda, Sherzan hopes to end U.S. dependency on rare earth minerals from China.
“Our dependency — economic and technological — of rare earths, particularly on China, is a disgrace,” Sherzan said. “We’ve got to change if we want to continue to be the first and best leader in the world and if we want to maintain our security and economic prosperity.”
A veteran, Sherzan served in the Iowa House from 1979 to 1981. He worked as an administrative law judge for the state of Arizona before moving back to Iowa in 2021 for non-political reasons.
Sherzan is now retired and lives in Coralville.
“I believe I have, in my New West agenda, the Democratic Party’s best chance, which is a reasonable chance, of winning the U.S. Senate election in 2026,” he said. “And I think I offer what other Democrats are not offering.”
Sherzan has not yet filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission.
He joins Nathan Sage, Zach Wahls, Josh Turek and Jackie Norris in the race for the Democratic nomination. Republicans Ashley Hinson, Jim Carlin and Joshua Smith in also running for the seat. Libertarian Thomas Laehn is expected to announce his candidacy this weekend.
