Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott launched her first televised campaign ad of the general election cycle, focusing on how her faith as a Lutheran minister has shaped her approach to public service and politics.
Trone Garriott, the Democratic Party’s nominee in south-central Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District in the Nov. 3 general election, unveiled the 30-second spot titled “Quick” on Thursday, Aug. 6, as part of an initial six-figure ad buy.
“My faith teaches me that you show up and you listen,” Trone Garriott said in a statement. “That’s what I do as a pastor, and it’s what I do as an elected official. It’s not complicated, but too many politicians in Washington have forgotten who they work for.”
Speaking from her front porch, the state senator from West Des Moines highlights how her faith guides her to listen to constituents.
“In scripture, it’s taught to be quick to listen and slow to speak,” Trone Garriott says. “Well, Congress could stand to hear a verse or two.”
Images of Trone Garriott outside of Grace Lutheran Church and inside the Iowa Capitol flicker as she pivots to criticize Washington, D.C.
“As a Lutheran minister and a state senator, I make listening a priority, and what I hear is people are hurting,” she says. “And Washington isn’t helping. That costs us.”
In the ad, she calls for term limits, a complete ban on congressional lawmakers trading stocks and requiring members of Congress to hold open, in-person town halls.
She has completed her own town hall tour in each of the district’s 21 counties, drawing a contrast with her opponent, two-term Republican U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, who previously called them a “taxpayer-funded protest event.” He maintains he engages with constituents in other ways. Nunn will appear at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox this month.
Trone Garriott’s ad counters a barrage of attacks she has faced from Republicans seeking to undermine her religious credibility, painting her progressive politics and positions on LGBTQ issues as incompatible with her faith. She has said the attacks misrepresent her religious background and record.
She has touted her track record of winning competitive races against Republicans. Trone Garriott was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2020, flipping a Republican-held district to Democratic control, and has won two tough races since.
The 2026 race is shaping up to be one of the nation’s top battleground contests in the midterms as elections analysts, including the Cook Political Report, rate it a “toss-up,” meaning either party could nab the seat.
The 3rd District encompasses Des Moines, its suburbs and rural south-central Iowa.
Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@registermedia.com. Follow her on X at @marissajpayne.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott launches faith-focused campaign ad
Reporting by Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
