On August 26, 2025, Iowa’s political landscape shifted in a way few predicted: Democrats broke the GOP’s ironclad supermajority in the state with a special election victory. Just two days later, the aftershocks reverberated further as Democrat Dave Dawson, a former state lawmaker and longtime prosecutor, announced his candidacy for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District—a region long considered a Republican stronghold.
Dawson, 51, is no political novice. He’s spent two terms in the Iowa House of Representatives and boasts two decades as a prosecutor in the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office in Sioux City. Yet, for all his experience, Dawson faces an uphill battle. Since his 2018 loss to Republican Jim Carlin in a state senate race, northwest Iowa has trended even redder, with Republicans dominating most contests. Only a handful of Democrats, like Rep. J.D. Scholten and, most recently, Catelin Drey—who clinched a special Iowa Senate election by 11%—have managed to break through in this deeply conservative region.
“It’s time to have somebody who is a public servant and proven leader step forward who’s going to put people before politics or partisanship,” Dawson told NPR, underscoring a campaign theme that leans heavily on his roots and bipartisan approach. He describes himself as “a true public servant and a proven leader,” adding, “I have legislative experience and I have a history of working across the aisle to get positive results for my constituents.”
The 4th Congressional District is a sprawling territory, covering 36 counties and cities such as Council Bluffs, Ames, and Marshalltown. It’s a place where, as Dawson notes, “Republicans outnumber Democrats.” The numbers are daunting, but Dawson is undeterred. “I think people will realize I’m just a regular person who grew up in the district,” he said. Raised in Washta—famously dubbed “the coldest spot in Iowa”—Dawson attended Iowa State University in Ames and now resides in Lawton with his wife, Liza, and their three children.
To kick off his campaign, Dawson made stops in Cherokee, his birthplace, and Sioux City, the district’s largest city. The night before his announcement, he joined the celebration for Catelin Drey’s special election win—a victory he believes signals a shift in the region’s political winds. “The special election in Woodbury County last night showed that Democrats can win in northwest Iowa, and we can come back as long as we’re focusing on issues that matter to people like education funding, health care funding and making sure we’re working to increase incomes and wages for Iowa workers,” Dawson said.
He’s candid about his chances: “I think there is momentum, given the recent special election here in Woodbury County, that shows that people are ready for a change in the direction of our country. And if I can get out and meet with people and show that I’m a trustworthy, honest individual who works hard and puts people before politics, I think I have a chance of being the next congressperson from the 4th District.”
Dawson’s priorities are clear and, in his view, nonpartisan: “My priorities include expanding health care options and research, investing in rural communities, raising incomes and increasing competition, strengthening Social Security and Medicare, and protecting our rights and freedoms.” He’s keen to emphasize that Congress should move away from “partisan politics” and instead focus on policies that “grow Iowa.”
Still, the district’s conservative leanings are no secret. In 2024, President Donald Trump carried the 4th District with ease—a reminder that any Democrat faces a steep climb. Yet history offers a glimmer of hope: Rep. Berkley Bedell, a Democrat, represented the area in the 1970s and 1980s, and J.D. Scholten nearly unseated Republican Steve King in 2018, falling short by just three percentage points.
“I think what’s most important in the next congressperson is somebody willing to listen to the people and work on their behalf and not just do the work of the big donors that give to their campaigns,” Dawson said. He believes his personal story—a native son who never left the district for long—will resonate. “I’m a native of the 4th District, and I think that once people meet me, they will connect with me. I think I will have a great chance of winning if people come together and work together to try and accomplish good things.”
Of course, Dawson isn’t running unopposed. On the Democratic side, he’ll face Ashley WolfTornabane, a stay-at-home mom from Storm Lake, and Stephanie Steiner from rural Sutherland. The Republican field is crowded as well, with Chris McGowan of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, Iowa House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, farmer Kyle Larsen of Humboldt, and Iowa Tea Party founder Ryan Rhodes from Ames all vying for the nomination.
The incumbent, Rep. Randy Feenstra, has kept his plans close to the vest. At the Iowa State Fair, Feenstra told reporters he would announce in September whether he intends to run for governor—a decision that could open the race even further or solidify GOP control, depending on his choice.
For Dawson, the challenge is as much about changing minds as it is about winning votes. He points to recent Democratic successes, like Catelin Drey’s special election win, as evidence that the district isn’t as monolithic as outsiders might think. “If I can get out and meet with people and show that I’m a trustworthy, honest individual who works hard and puts people before politics, I think I have a chance of being the next congressperson from the 4th District,” he reiterated.
Dawson’s candidacy comes at a time when Democrats in Iowa are looking for any sign of resurgence. The August 26 special election that broke the GOP supermajority has energized the party faithful and given hope to candidates like Dawson, who see an opening to make gains in even the most conservative corners of the state.
Whether Dawson’s blend of local roots, bipartisan credentials, and focus on bread-and-butter issues will be enough to overcome the district’s Republican tilt remains to be seen. But if the past week in Iowa politics has shown anything, it’s that even the most entrenched assumptions can be upended when voters are ready for something new.
As the 2025 campaign season heats up, all eyes will be on Iowa’s 4th District—a place where the old rules may no longer apply, and where, just maybe, a Democrat can once again claim victory.
