Polling Average
50%40%30%20%10%0%
35.4%
37.6%
Iowa Democratic Senate nominee?
$106.1K
JUN 9, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleFormer State Senator
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
Age35 years old (Jul 15, 1991)
GenderMale
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LocationIowa
BackgroundPolitician
EducationUniversity of Iowa (degree completed 2016)
Notable personal detailsZacharia Wahls is a Democratic politician, author, and LGBTQ+ advocate who has served in the Iowa Senate since 2019 (representing the 43rd District). He gained national attention after a 2011 Iowa legislative hearing speech supporting marriage equality and later spoke at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. He earned a degree from the University of Iowa and a Master of Public Affairs from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs.
SourcesShowHide
fec.govlegis.iowa.govzachwahls.comen.wikipedia.orgrepbio.orgwikidata.orgballotready.orgjustfacts.votesmart.orgpenguinrandomhouse.comapp7.vocusgr.comiowapublicradio.orgwarrencountyia.govbremercountyelections.iowa.govdailyiowan.comnrsc.orgreddit.comthegazette.comlittlevillagemag.comwashingtonblade.comkcci.comtimesrepublican.comlgbtqnation.comiowacapitaldispatch.comyahoo.comcrestonnews.comnationofchange.orgcongress.govjacobin.comforbes.comwesterniowatoday.comcommondefense.usdesmoinesregister.comfacebook.comcbsnews.comweareiowa.combleedingheartland.comcnbc.comnytimes.comkmaland.comsemafor.comwashingtonexaminer.comms.nownypost.commshale.comnewsfromthestates.cominstagram.comrleonard.substack.comlegislation.ballotpedia.orgdonate.ballotpedia.orgdailypress.senate.govdocquery.fec.govdata.ballotpedia.orgcdn.ballotpedia.orghistory.house.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports tax relief targeted to middle-class families while opposing tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, and advocates investing public funds in education, workforce training, child care, and other public services. Pledges to reduce the influence of corporate money in politics and prioritize spending on community investments rather than corporate tax giveaways.
Healthcare
Supports lowering the Medicare eligibility age, strengthening the Affordable Care Act to reduce premiums and out-of-pocket costs, taking on pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices, and making major investments in mental health services, especially in rural areas.
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Immigration & Border
Supports securing the border and strengthening enforcement capacity while also backing reforms to asylum processing and creating earned legal status (a pathway for long-term residents). Advocates hiring more Border Patrol agents and immigration judges, enforcing employer verification, and deporting noncitizens who pose public-safety threats. Endorsed the bipartisan Border Act of 2024 as part of a broader reform approach.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supports protecting and expanding abortion and reproductive health access, including proposing a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights and introducing bills to safeguard contraception and IVF access. He has opposed strict bans such as a six-week abortion ban and has framed reproductive decisions as private medical matters that government should not control.
Climate & Energy
Supports renewable energy development and expansion of wind and solar in Iowa, and backs policies to promote clean energy as an economic and rural jobs strategy. Emphasizes investment in renewables and clean-energy development but does not advance Green New Deal–style language or an explicit rapid fossil-fuel phase-out in cited materials.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports expanded background checks (including closing private-sale/gun-show loopholes) and maintaining permit-to-acquire requirements while identifying as a gun owner who respects the Second Amendment; has opposed permitless/constitutional-carry changes and sponsored police de-escalation training measures.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJul 15, 2026
Zach Wahls was defeated by Josh Turek in the Iowa Democratic U.S. Senate primary, ending his bid for the party’s nomination. The race had drawn attention as Democrats tried to flip an open Senate seat in a state that leans Republican. Wahls also recently picked up a labor endorsement, but it was not enough to overcome Turek’s lead.
fec.gov+53
Articles
TAThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution2 months ago
Iowa state lawmaker Josh Turek wins Democratic nomination for US Senate
Negative
WWEAU2 months ago
Final push for candidates before Iowa primaries
Neutral
WEWashington Examiner2 months ago
What to know about Iowa's primaries as Democrats try to mount a comeback
Neutral
CNCable News Network2 months ago
A Paralympian and ‘prairie populist’: How this Iowa Senate candidate is trying to spark a rural revival for Democrats
Neutral
Polls
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsements
Iowa Democratic Senate nominee?
Endorsers of Zach Wahls for Iowa Democratic Senate nominee?
Sen. Bernie Sanders
Public endorsement
Bernie Sanders endorsed Zach Wahls in Iowa's 2026 Democratic Senate primary.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Public endorsement
Elizabeth Warren endorsed Zach Wahls in Iowa's 2026 Democratic Senate primary.
Iowa union chapters
Labor organization
Two local Iowa chapters of insulators unions endorsed Zach Wahls for the 2026 U.S. Senate Democratic nomination.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Total raisedCash on hand
$3.9M
$2.9M
$1.9M
$973.3K
$0
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2026
$3.9M
$238.8K
$3.7M
$203.0K
Source: FEC