DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Democratic Party is coming off of a lackluster 2024 election cycle. And in the early parts of the 2025 primary season, there are a lot of democratic candidates who’ve filed to run, and are looking to win Iowa Democrats’ blessing. How does the number of each candidates stack up to elections of the past?

For the open seat for Iowa Governor, there are three total democratic candidates running: State Auditor Rob Sand, Paul Dahl and Julie Stauch. This is the first time in almost two decades there will not be an incumbent on the ballot. This prompts a lot of interest in the seat for both parties. For Iowa Democrats specifically, there was only one running in 2022: Deidre DeJear. Back in 2018 there were six democrat candidates running for that office with Gov. Reynolds winning that election after she was appointed in 2017.

For Joni Ernst’s U.S. Senate seat, there are four Iowa Democrats seeking that nomination. Nathan Sage, State Representative J.D. Scholten, State Senator Zach Wahls and Jackie Norris. When Senator Chuck Grassley’s seat was up in 2022, there were three democrats running. And in 2020, the last election Sen. Ernst won, there were five total democrats running in that primary.

Iowa’s First Congressional District has a handful of democrats running for the nomination. Christina Bohannan was the sole Iowa Democrat in 2024 and 2022. For 2026, Bohannan is running again with Bob Krause, Travis Terrell and Taylor Wettach.

Iowa’s Second Congressional District has two candidates filed so far for the Iowa Democratic Party: Kathryn Dolter and Clint Twedt-Ball. In 2024 and 2022 there was only one democrat vying for that seat.

Iowa’s Third Congressional District has four candidate that have filed paperwork for the race. State Representative Jennifer Konfrst, State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, Xavier Carrigan and Tracy Limon. In comparison to 2024, only two candidates ran in the primary: Lanon Baccam and Melissa Vine. In 2022 Congresswoman Cindy Axne was the incumbent, making her the only Iowa Democrat running.

Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District has two democrats running in 2026, Stephanie Steiner and Ashley WolfTornabane. This is the first time in a heavy red district that there are multiple democrats in the primary, in 2024 and 2022 it was Ryan Melton who ran in both of those races.

A large majority of these Iowa Democrats are fresh faces running for the party, either seeking a federal office for the first time or running for a different statewide election. In a decade that so far has been owned by the Iowa GOP, these new candidates are looking to cut their teeth with hopes to win their primary race.