DES MOINES, Iowa – U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, announced on Friday that she would seek a third term representing Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, opting against running for Governor in 2022.
She first announced her re-election plans on Iowa Press.
“Three years ago, I came to Congress to fight for Iowans and their needs. Since then, I’ve delivered tax cuts, disaster relief, and critical support to Iowa’s families and businesses,” she said later on Twitter. “But my work is far from over, so I will seek to represent #IA03 again in 2022!”
Three years ago, I came to Congress to fight for Iowans and their needs.
Since then, I've delivered tax cuts, disaster relief, and critical support to Iowa's families and businesses.
But my work is far from over, so I will seek to represent #IA03 again in 2022!
— Cindy Axne (@Axne4Congress) November 12, 2021
Axne, who lives in West Des Moines, won a three-way Democratic primary in 2018 defeated then-incumbent Republican Congressman David Young of Van Meter by 2.2 percent to win her first term. Young ran against in 2020, but she was re-elected by 2.3 percent in that rematch.
Axne serves on the House Agriculture and Financial Services committees.
Her decision comes after U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, announced that she would run in the newly drawn Iowa 1st Congressional District instead of Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District. Miller-Meeks’ hometown of Ottumwa was drawn into the newly drawn 3rd District.
Republicans linked Axne to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and liberal policies pushed by House Democrats.
“Cindy Axne is one of Washington’s swampiest politicians. As a best friend of the Squad, Axne has supported legislation that takes away choice from parents, implements the largest tax hike in decades, and kills the jobs of hardworking Iowans. We are tired of big government Democrats that look down upon our values and lie to our faces. That is exactly what Cindy Axne represents,” Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann said in a released statement.
“Axne has spent the past two years hiding from Iowans and cozying up to Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden. Axne represents a continuation of Biden and Pelosi’s disastrous agenda and Iowa Republicans are committed to fighting back to stop it,” he added. “Axne will have every resource she needs from Pelosi and the Democrat establishment, but we have Iowans on our side. I look forward to being on the front lines standing arm and arm with Iowans in the third district while we stand up to defeat her.”
Axne has held several town halls around the district over the summer and fall and regularly traveled the district before the COVID-19 pandemic, but has not held a district event since October 4.
Her challenger will be the winner of a three-way Republican primary between State Senator Zach Nunn of Bondurant, Nicole Hasso of Johnston, and former State Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa of Council Bluffs. Hanusa does not reside within the newly drawn district but has not announced whether that would change her 2022 plans.
Nunn commented on Axne’s re-election plans.
“I’ve been working proudly for Iowans in the State Senate by lowering taxes, protecting our freedoms, and prioritizing our economy and parent’s rights in education,” he said in a released statement. “I’ve already started a district-wide ‘Full Grassley’, visiting every county in the new district, and a vast majority of Iowans disapprove of the far-left agenda that Axne votes for.”
“There are real issues that aren’t being addressed: high inflation, high gas and grocery prices, and attacks on individual freedoms, so I’m laser focused on the general election next November. First Axne considered running for US senate, then Governor, and finally settled on running for re-election in IA-03. Clearly there is concern she wouldn’t be able to win due to the fact she’s voted with Pelosi 96% of the time and is out of touch with the majority of Iowans. Let’s not forget, last election Axne lost every county but Polk, and the new 3rd District is now clearly more favorable for Republicans,” he added.
The Iowa Torch recently found, based on October’s registration numbers, that there are slightly more registered Democrats in the newly drawn 3rd District. In October, Democrats had 10,588 with 165,903 Democrats and 155,315 Republicans in the newly drawn district. However, with 132,390 independent voters, it will remain competitive. Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District consists of Adams, Adair, Appanoose, Cass, Clarke, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Greene, Guthrie, Lucas, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Page, Polk, Ringgold, Taylor, Union, Wapello, and Wayne counties.
