Former Iowa state Rep. Joe Mitchell is running for Congress in Iowa’s 2nd District, becoming the second Republican to declare his candidacy since U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson announced she would run for U.S. Senate.
“I’m running for Congress because too many Iowans have been left behind by a broken political system that works for insiders and lobbyists, not for us,” Mitchell said in a statement. “For too long, politicians in Washington have wasted our tax dollars and cut backroom deals while working families pay the price. I’ll work with President Trump to end reckless spending, secure our borders, protect our farmers and build an economy where hard work pays again. It’s time to take power back from the insiders and return it to the people of Iowa — where it belongs.”
The shakeup comes after U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst announced Sept. 2 that she would not run for reelection to the U.S. Senate. Hours later, Hinson announced her own Senate candidacy, leaving an open seat in the 2nd District.
The 2nd Congressional District covers 22 counties in northeast Iowa, including the cities of Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Waterloo and Mason City.
Mitchell, who lives in Clear Lake, served two terms in the Iowa House from 2019 to 2023, representing Henry County and parts of Lee, Jefferson and Washington counties.
He later founded Run Gen Z, a group that aims to elect young conservatives to office, and served on President Donald Trump’s transition team.
Mitchell, who describes himself as a former Trump administration official, previously worked as a chief of staff at the Federal Housing Finance Agency. And he was hired as a regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in July, leading field operations in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. But he will step down from that role to run for Congress.
Mitchell owns and operates a real estate development company that focuses on workforce housing developments in rural Iowa, and he has previously served as president and chairman of the Iowa Real Estate Developers Association, according to his campaign announcement.
Who else could run for Congress in Iowa’s 2nd District?
The race is expected to see a crowded Republican primary.
State Sen. Charlie McClintock, R-Alburnett, announced his candidacy on Sept. 4.
“As one of Iowa’s first endorsers of President Trump and supporters for his reelection campaign, I understand the Republican platform and the importance of an America First agenda,” McClintock wrote in a Facebook post. “Anyone who knows me, and my political career up to this point, knows my character, and my passion for listening to the people, and representing them in the legislature.”
State Rep. Shannon Lundgren, R-Peosta, posted to social media shortly after Hinson’s announcement that she is “seriously considering” a 2nd District bid.
“I endorsed President Trump long before the caucuses, and I’d be with him every day in Congress,” she wrote.
And former U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, who served two terms representing northeast Iowa in Congress, shared a picture on Facebook of himself with Trump.
“Thank you to the countless supporters from across Iowa’s Second District who have reached out today to encourage me to run again for Congress,” Blum wrote. “The outpouring of support has been humbling ― it was the honor of my lifetime to represent our district for four years, standing squarely with President Trump and backing his America First agenda. Stay tuned!”
Three Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination in the 2nd District: Kathy Dolter, a U.S. Army veteran and former dean of nursing at Kirkwood Community College; Lindsay James, a state representative and an ordained Presbyterian pastor; and Clint Twedt-Ball, a Cedar Rapids resident and former nonprofit executive.
Katie Smith, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, criticized Mitchell in a statement.
“Joe Mitchell is a Des Moines insider and career politician: he’s just the latest in what’s going to be a long line of out-of-touch Republicans running in Iowa’s 2nd district and fighting over who will best cater to Washington special interests and billionaires,” she said. “We’re going to flip this seat because Iowans are ready for someone who takes on business-as-usual to lower families’ costs and put their communities first.”
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Republican Joe Mitchell announces run for Congress as Ashley Hinson runs for Senate
Reporting by Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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