2026 Midterms · U.S. House · Iowa Toss-up
Iowa — 3rd District
Democratic
Sarah Trone Garriott
Republican
Zach Nunn
Incumbent
The general election for Iowa's 3rd Congressional District features Republican incumbent Zach Nunn facing Democratic state Senator Sarah Trone Garriott. The district has not been held by an incumbent for more than two terms since 2010, establishing it as a key battleground in the 120th Congress balance of power. Forecasters rate the general election as Toss-up or Tilt Republican, following narrow Republican victories in 2022 and 2024. As of mid-2026, both candidates have built formidable campaign chests, with Trone Garriott raising $5.29 million to Nunn's $4.87 million.
Economy and Cost of Living
high salienceTrone Garriott focuses on expanding middle-class tax credits and regulating corporate pricing, whereas Nunn focuses on reining in government spending and cutting taxes.
Sarah Trone Garriott
Supports middle-class investments and tax relief
Trone Garriott advocates for growing the economy through investments in workforce training, vocational programs, and rural broadband. She supports expanding the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit while cracking down on corporate price gouging, deceptive fees, and reckless tariffs.
- Expand the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit
- Crack down on corporate price gouging, junk fees, and wage theft
- Invest in apprenticeships, vocational schools, community colleges, and rural broadband infrastructure
“In Congress, I’ll fight to raise wages and support local small businesses—not by writing blank checks, but by investing in apprenticeships, vocational schools, community colleges, and job training programs that prepare Iowans for high-skill, high-wage work.”
Zach Nunn
Supports fiscal discipline and tax cuts
Nunn attributes high inflation to out-of-control federal spending and advocates for reining in federal spending and government bureaucracy. In Congress, he supported key spending caps, tax relief, and debt limit measures aimed at getting Americans back to work.
- Voted for H.R. 1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) in 2025
- Voted for the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024
- Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 to raise the debt limit while capping discretionary spending
“Out-of-control government spending has caused inflation to skyrocket, impacting every Iowa family’s ability to balance their checkbook.”
Healthcare and Senior Care
high salienceTrone Garriott advocates for federal protection of Medicaid and ACA subsidies to keep rural hospitals open, while Nunn emphasizes protecting seniors and military healthcare.
Sarah Trone Garriott
Supports expanding Medicaid and protecting Medicare
Trone Garriott advocates for allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and expanding access to rural healthcare, mental health, and substance abuse treatment. She strongly opposes cuts to Medicaid and Social Security, criticizing Nunn for voting for Medicaid cuts that threaten rural clinics.
- Allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices
- Roll back Medicaid cuts and extend ACA tax credits to keep insurance affordable
- Protect Social Security and Medicare against cuts or privatization schemes
“To make healthcare accessible and affordable, we need to roll back the massive Medicaid cuts Zach Nunn voted for this year, which will cause 86,000 Iowans to lose their health insurance, and close rural hospitals and clinics.”
Zach Nunn
Supports protecting seniors and military family health
Nunn emphasizes protecting seniors, people with disabilities, and military families. He voted for the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 to eliminate certain benefit reductions for public service workers.
- Voted for the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023
- Pledges to protect seniors, people with disabilities, and healthcare access for veterans
- Expanded paid parental leave for military families
“As a faith-oriented man, Zach will always stand with Iowa’s most vulnerable – that means protecting our seniors, our disabled, and our unborn.”
Reproductive Rights
high salienceTrone Garriott advocates for federal laws guaranteeing abortion access and IVF, whereas Nunn supports restricting abortion and promoting adoption.
Sarah Trone Garriott
Supports codifying nationwide abortion rights
Trone Garriott views reproductive freedom as a personal medical decision that should remain between patients, doctors, and families. She advocates for restoring federal protections for abortion access and safeguarding rights to contraception, IVF, and prenatal care.
- Restore federal protections for abortion access nationwide
- Safeguard legal protections for contraception, IVF, and prenatal care
- Oppose state and federal abortion bans
“Reproductive freedom isn’t abstract—it’s about whether you get to make decisions about your body and your future.”
Zach Nunn
Opposes abortion and supports adoption
Nunn is an outspoken pro-life advocate committed to protecting the unborn. He supports simplifying adoption processes for families while criticizing Democratic proposals on abortion.
- Recognized pro-life leader advocating for the unborn
- Promotes streamlining adoption procedures for families
- Opposes federal measures legalizing abortion on demand
“He is a recognized pro-life leader, committed to fighting for the unborn.”
Immigration and Border Security
high salienceTrone Garriott supports comprehensive reform with pathways for Dreamers alongside border security, whereas Nunn focuses strictly on enforcement, deportation laws, and voter eligibility restrictions.
Sarah Trone Garriott
Supports comprehensive reform and border enforcement
Trone Garriott supports a comprehensive immigration approach that secures the border while streamlining legal pathways, protecting Dreamers, and combatting human trafficking. She emphasizes holding ICE accountable to legal standards while protecting local communities.
- Pass comprehensive reform securing borders and protecting Dreamers
- Streamline legal immigration pathways
- Increase resources against drug smuggling and human trafficking while holding ICE accountable
“In Congress, I’ll push for comprehensive immigration reform that fixes our broken system: secures the border, streamlines legal pathways, protects Dreamers, and invests in preventing human trafficking and drug smuggling.”
Zach Nunn
Supports strict border enforcement and citizenship proof
Nunn prioritizes stopping illegal border crossings, drug trafficking, and human exploitation through strict enforcement bills. He has voted for measures requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote and mandating detention or deportation of undocumented immigrants charged with specific crimes.
- Voted for the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring documentary proof of citizenship to vote
- Voted for the Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2) and Laken Riley Act (S. 5)
- Voted for deportation for DUI offenses under H.R. 875
“As your representative, he helped pass the most comprehensive border security solution – ensuring that we’re combatting the flow of illegal drugs, human trafficking, and exploitation coming across our Southern Border.”
Agriculture and Energy
medium salienceTrone Garriott emphasizes environmental protection and clean energy transition, while Nunn prioritizes Farm Bill protections and boosting all domestic energy including fossil fuels.
Sarah Trone Garriott
Supports renewable energy and sustainable agriculture
Trone Garriott advocates for clean energy investments in wind, solar, and biofuels, highlighting their role in creating Iowa jobs. She emphasizes protecting water quality and partnering with farmers to adopt sustainable soil practices.
- Invest in clean energy including wind, solar, and biofuels
- Protect clean water and expand access to public lands
- Partner with farmers on sustainable soil and water practices
“In Congress, I’ll support investments in clean energy like wind, solar, and biofuels—which already power thousands of Iowa jobs—and I’ll work with farmers to promote sustainable practices that keep our soil healthy and our water safe.”
Zach Nunn
Supports biofuels, fossil fuels, and Farm Bill
Nunn serves on the House Agriculture Committee and advocates for a robust Farm Bill supporting Iowa producers and rural energy independence. He supports expanding domestic energy production across oil, gas, and biofuels.
- Serves on the House Agriculture Committee
- Supports biofuels and ethanol to promote American energy independence
- Voted for the Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1) to boost energy production and cut regulations
“Also a tireless advocate for Iowa’s biofuels and ethanol producers, he pushed for strong support for renewable fuels that help make America more energy independent.”
Education
medium salienceTrone Garriott focuses on preserving federal public school funding and opposing vouchers, while Nunn emphasizes school choice options and social regulations in athletics.
Sarah Trone Garriott
Supports funding public schools and opposing vouchers
Trone Garriott prioritizes federal investment in public education, increasing teacher pay, and expanding early childhood programs. She strongly opposes private school voucher programs that divert taxpayer funds from public classrooms.
- Protect Department of Education and federal funding for classrooms
- Raise teacher pay and expand early childhood pre-K programs
- Oppose private school voucher programs
“In Congress, I’ll work to protect the Department of Education and the hundreds of millions of federal dollars that flow to Iowa classrooms each year.”
Zach Nunn
Supports expanded education options and sports protections
Nunn advocates for expanding parental choices and options for working families. In Congress, he voted for legislation restricting participation in female school sports to biological females.
- Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 (H.R. 28)
- Supports expanding options for working parents and school choice
- Highlighting educational support in early state legislative career
“He’s also led the charge to simplify adoption, expand child care options, and support working parents.”
Government Reform and Ethics
medium salienceTrone Garriott advocates for structural bans on stock trading and corporate PAC money, whereas Nunn focuses on term limit pledges and congressional oversight inquiries.
Sarah Trone Garriott
Supports banning insider trading and term limits
Trone Garriott advocates for ethics reform in Washington to curb self-enrichment and corporate influence. She supports banning insider stock trading by members of Congress, banning corporate PAC contributions, and enacting congressional term limits.
- Ban insider stock trading for members of Congress
- Enact congressional term limits
- Ban corporate PAC contributions and hold open town halls
“I’ve authored legislation in Iowa to ban insider stock trading and impose term limits—because public service shouldn’t be a pathway to personal enrichment.”
Zach Nunn
Supports term limits and government transparency
Nunn has signed pledges supporting term limits for members of Congress and Americans for Tax Reform's pledge. In Congress, he supported high-profile government transparency measures, including forcing the release of Jeffrey Epstein files.
- Signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge
- Voted for the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405)
- Voted for authorizing the impeachment inquiry into President Biden (H.Res. 918)
“In Congress, he passed legislation to rein in government bureaucracy and the liberal wish lists impeding our economy.”
Public Safety and Constitutional Rights
medium salienceTrone Garriott supports closing gun policy loopholes and mental health crisis response, while Nunn prioritizes protecting Second Amendment rights and uncompromised law enforcement support.
Sarah Trone Garriott
Supports funding law enforcement and gun safety
Trone Garriott emphasizes public safety through support for law enforcement, victim services, and community mental health response. She supports closing gun safety loopholes to prevent weapon proliferation while protecting schools.
- Fund local law enforcement and victim services
- Invest in community-based mental health response teams
- Close gun safety loopholes to prevent violent crime
“I’ll work to hold dangerous criminals accountable and close loopholes that allow weapons to flood our streets.”
Zach Nunn
Supports Second Amendment and law enforcement
Nunn strongly supports Second Amendment rights and backing police officers. He opposes federal gun control measures and far-left efforts to restrict constitutional rights.
- Firm believer in First and Second Amendment rights
- Opposes federal gun control restrictions
- Supports law enforcement and first responders
“Zach put his life on the line to protect our First and Second Amendment Rights – he’s a firm believer in the right to free speech and the right to bear arms.”
Veterans and Military Affairs
medium salienceTrone Garriott focuses on expanding rural VA health services and veteran re-entry, whereas Nunn leverages his military background to focus on defense appropriations and active-duty family benefits.
Sarah Trone Garriott
Supports expanding rural VA healthcare access
Trone Garriott emphasizes fulfilling national obligations to veterans by expanding VA healthcare services in rural areas. She supports expanding housing, job training, and mental health suicide prevention resources.
- Expand rural VA healthcare services and mental health support
- Increase funding for veteran suicide prevention and crisis response
- Simplify access to veteran housing and job training programs
“In Congress, I’ll work to expand access to VA services—especially in rural areas—and ensure our vets can access housing, education, and job training without jumping through hoops.”
Zach Nunn
Supports military funding and service member benefits
Nunn highlights his 20-year career as an Air Force combat aviator and colonel in the Air Force Reserve. He authored legislation expanding paid parental leave for military parents and voted for annual defense authorization bills.
- Authored legislation expanding parental leave for military parents
- Voted for the National Defense Authorization Acts for FY 2024 and FY 2025
- Supports increased funding for defense and veteran mental health resources
“As a 20 year combat veteran, Zach knows the importance of a strong military when it comes to defending our country, protecting democracy, and promoting peace.”
Labor and Workforce Development
low salienceSarah Trone Garriott
Supports union rights and the PRO Act
Trone Garriott holds a 100% lifetime voting record with the Iowa Federation of Labor and strongly advocates for collective bargaining rights. She supports passing the federal PRO Act and enforcing prevailing wage protections under the Davis-Bacon Act.
- Pass the federal PRO Act to protect collective bargaining
- Enforce Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage requirements on infrastructure projects
- Expand union apprenticeships and high-wage job training
“In Congress, I’ll support passage of the PRO Act to strengthen and enforce these rights, and I’ll work to ensure strong enforcement of the Davis-Bacon Act so that federally funded infrastructure projects pay workers fair, prevailing wages.”