The latest campaign finance reports show strong fundraising numbers for Iowa Democrats running for the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Republicans currently hold all of the seats in Iowa’s Washington, D.C., delegation, but the 2026 midterms are competitive. Two congressional races are rated "lean Democrat" by the Cook Political Report. The Senate race is rated as a "toss up."
Third quarter financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission — which cover the period from July 1 to Sept. 30 — show a massive fundraising haul for Democrat Josh Turek’s Senate campaign. Turek raised a total of $13.9 million. That’s more than four times his opponent, Republican Ashley Hinson, who took in nearly $3.3 million in that time frame.
But Turek spent nearly as much as he raised, $12.6 million. It left Hinson with an edge in cash-on-hand. Hinson ended the quarter with nearly $7 million. Turek was left with around $3.6 million.
The Senate race has also been a target for heavy spending outside of the candidates’ campaigns. According to Open Secrets, a nonpartisan nonprofit that tracks election spending, Iowa's U.S. Senate race has attracted more than $100 million in spending by outside groups.
U.S. House races
Democratic candidates have also raised more money than the Republicans in three of Iowa’s four races for Congress.
In the 1st District, which primarily covers southeast Iowa, Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is facing a challenge from Democrat Christina Bohannan for a third consecutive election cycle.
In the latest campaign finance filing, Bohannan brought in a total of $2.4 million while Miller-Meeks raised $1.7 million. Bohannan’s campaign also spent more than Miller-Meeks’ campaign but still held more cash on hand at the end of the quarter, with $3 million.
Democrat Lindsay James more than doubled the fundraising total of Republican Joe Mitchell in the open race for northeast Iowa’s 2nd District.
James reported $1.9 million raised. But after spending nearly $2 million, she ended with less cash on hand than Mitchell.
In the 3rd District, which includes the Des Moines metro and much of south-central Iowa, Republican incumbent Rep. Zach Nunn brought in just over $1 million compared to nearly $2.4 million for Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott.
Trone Garriott’s campaign ended the quarter with almost $2 million cash on hand compared to Nunn’s $1.4 million.
Fourth District Republican Chris McGowan holds a fundraising edge over Democrat Dave Dawson.
McGowan raised $173,476 in the 3rd quarter while Dawson raised $104,516. McGowan ended the quarter with $444,728 on hand compared to $63,996 for Dawson.
The totals for the congressional races also do not include large amounts of spending outside of the campaigns.
Early voting is underway across Iowa, with Election Day coming up on Nov. 3.
