U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn and Democrat Lanon Baccam, who participated in a KCCI debate held in Waukee Oct. 8, are competing to represent Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District in the 2024 general election. (Photos by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District has long been targeted as a potential pick-up for Democrats in the 2024 election – but U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn and Republicans are hoping that a campaign on the incumbent Republican’s moderate track record will help him retain control of the seat.
Nunn faces Democrat Lanon Baccam in the upcoming Nov. 5 election. Baccam is a former U.S. Department of Agriculture official under former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and a 2020 Iowa campaign staff for President Joe Biden. He won his primary challenge against Democrat Melissa Vine with the support of major state and federal Democratic officials. Baccam presented himself as the more moderate candidate – and best shot at unseating Nunn, who won office against former U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, the final Democrat in Iowa’s congressional delegation, in 2022.
In the months since his primary win, Baccam and backers have aggressively campaigned in the 3rd District through ads and campaign events, focused both on Baccam’s experiences growing up as a Tai Dam refugee in Mount Pleasant, serving in the Iowa National Guard and working in government, as well as on his opponent’s positions on issues like abortion.
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“You all can sense and feel lately, at times, our country feels like our democracy is on the line,” Baccam said at an August event. “Our freedoms are on the line, and we know that. … People know when their freedoms are being taken away, and that’s what’s happening right here in this state right now, but we’re going to change that.”
But Nunn has disputed Baccam’s claims about his policy positions, as well as criticisms that he or GOP House lawmakers are overly divisive. Nunn said in an October interview said that 3rd District voters wanted someone who can “deliver results” and called for Iowans to look at his track record in Congress.
“We’ve been able to get multiple bills through in a divided Congress, ones that help rural communities, ones that help get more nurses into hospitals, ones that help veterans and ensure that families get the opportunity to spend time with their newborns,” Nunn said. “I think these are all accomplishments that not only am I proud of, I’ve done it because I’ve worked across the aisle to actually deliver results that I think Iowans want to be able to take home and say, ‘This actually matters to me, and it’s important for my community.’”
Baccam highlights abortion as winning issue
In the high-profile race, Democrats see Baccam having an opportunity to win over voters with the issue of abortion. The campaign comes as a state law went into effect earlier this year banning abortions after fetal cardiac activity can be detected, with exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the pregnant person.
Abortion access has been pointed to as a primary reason why the “red wave” predicted in 2022 as a backlash to discontent with some Biden administration policies did not manifest nationally. While Iowa did see GOP wins – including Nunn’s victory – in that year’s midterms, many states saw Democrats unexpectedly keep control of seats.
Those election results, which included several state ballot measures on abortion, showed that reproductive health care access was a winning issue for Democrats, even in purple and red areas, Chris Larimer, a political science professor at the University of Northern Iowa, said.
Though abortion was not on the forefront of Iowa voters’ minds in 2022, the Iowa Supreme Court decision and implementation of the state six-week ban has pushed the issue to the forefront in Iowa politics. Larimer said in competitive races, like the Iowa 3rd Congressional District, he expects to see Democrats make use of strategies deployed in 2022 to support Baccam’s campaign.
“If you look looking back at ’22. that would seem to be potentially a blueprint for how they can activate voters if you’re talking about reproductive rights,” Larimer said. “And in Iowa, like I said, where there’s been significant change on reproductive rights, that if they’re able to make that instantly an issue, I think that’s that could make those races more competitive.”
Baccam has highlighted abortion access as a top issue at campaign events, in addition to making significant investments in ad campaigns criticizing Nunn’s position on abortion access. Several ads released by Baccam’s campaign feature footage from a 2022 GOP 3rd District primary debate where Nunn and other candidates were asked if they supported a full abortion ban without exceptions. The ads feature footage of Nunn raising his hand, endorsing a ban with no exceptions.
“That’s all you need to know,” about Nunn’s view on abortion rights, one ad states.
Nunn also supported a version of Iowa’s current abortion ban as a state legislature in 2018. The Iowa Supreme Court held a permanent injunction on that law, before passing a similar so-called “fetal heartbeat” law again in 2023 which was approved by the court.
Baccam criticized Nunn’s support for the ban, that can impact pregnancies as early as six weeks of gestation, during the October KCCI debate.
“He laid the groundwork for this when using a state legislator, and what we have today is exactly what he wanted,” Baccam said. “Abortion is now banned before most women even though they’re pregnant. This is extreme. He even wants to go further on this issue, supporting a national abortion ban without exceptions, even in the case of rape, incest or the life of the mother. Folks, this is far out of step with where Iowans are on this issue.”
Nunn has repeatedly said that Baccam is mischaracterizing his stance on abortion.
“I’m pro-life,” Nunn said debate. “I voted for exceptions for rape, incest and certainly for the health of the mother. I believe strongly that we should not have a federal abortion ban and take that away from Iowans.”
Nunn targets Baccam’s social media history, ties to Biden
As Nunn called Baccam’s statements about his abortion positions a “lie,” he also called on Baccam to provide more “transparent answers” to voters about his campaign and history in politics.
The National Republican Congressional Committee, U.S. House Republicans’ campaign arm, highlighted how posts have been deleted from Baccam’s social media account on X, formerly Twitter, as he ran for office. Posts were deleted on issues including support for President Joe Biden’s candidacy and criticism of former President Donald Trump.
In many interviews with reporters, Baccam avoided answering questions on his social media posts, instead speaking about his positive experience working at the USDA during the Biden administration.
“It’s clear Lanon Baccam is attempting to run and hide from his long history as a paid political activist,” NRCC Spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement about Baccam’s deleted social media posts. “Iowa voters deserve to know the truth instead of the weak political talking points and lame pivots.”
At the debate, Baccam did not offer a specific reason for deleting the posts, but said he was not trying to hide that they were deleted.
“I don’t have a recollection of what all those posts are, but people delete tweets and they clean up social media — that stuff happens all the time,” Baccam said. “I’m not hiding with any of that, and as matter of fact, it seems like everyone knows about them now.”
But Nunn claimed his Democratic opponent was avoiding accountability, both on the issue of social media and his positions on issues like Israel and funding for law enforcement.
“Iowans deserve real answers when making the hard choice of who they’re going to vote for,” Nunn said following the debate. “We heard time and time again – where was he on things like defunding the police? Where was he on standing up for our ally Israel? Where was he on just simple things, like blaming his staff for the deleting of his social media posts? That’s not leadership. That’s trying to hide behind somebody else, and that’s clearly not the case for a guy who spent the better part of the last 20 years as a political operative.”
Baccam said the U.S. needs to “stand with our allies,” including Israel and Ukraine, in addition to ensuring that international rules of law are being followed in these conflicts.
When asked about the attacks after the debate, Baccam said Republicans were making false claims about his political background.
“These false things that they’re trying to build up to create something to run on here,” he said. “The reality is, my record is abundantly clear. I have been proud to work in this administration, to have worked at the USDA, to have had an opportunity to deliver programs for farmers or ranchers around the country and right here in the 3rd District.”
How candidates are approaching the final weeks
Baccam has outraised Nunn in the July Federal Elections Commission reporting period, with $1.3 million to the incumbent’s $1 million in the reporting period — his third consecutive reporting period of outraising Nunn, according to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. However, Nunn ended the same period with more reserve funds, $2.4 million, than Baccam at $1.5 million.
There’s also been significant ad spending in the race, reaching $13 million according to AdImpact data first reported by Axios in mid-September. Baccam and Democratic supporters spent almost $6.8 million as of Sept. 16, while Nunn and Republicans spent $5.7 million. That spending comes both from the campaigns directly as well as supporting PACs and grounds — the DCCC made a $1.55 million ad reservation in the Des Moines media market in August as part of a nationwide push to support Democrats in potential swing districts, while the GOP Congressional Leadership Fund announced an additional $1.9 million in ad spending in late September.
Despite the high price tag, Nunn said the outcome of the race will come down to how Iowa voters feel about his and his opponent’s campaigns — as well as assessing his time in Washington.
“Here’s the reality, hard work will always outpace however much money, particularly outside money, is being spent in this race,” Nunn said. “We’re seeing the 3rd District at $13 million — I think my opponent has most of it coming from California and New York — but our shoe leather alone is one of the ways that I think that not only do we win the 3rd District, but we win it decisively. Because we’re speaking to Republicans, we’re knocking on doors of independents, and we’re fighting to win those moderate Democrats who are saying, ‘we want somebody who actually has led with accomplishment.’ And if I can win over my mother-in-law’s vote then I think we’re moving on the right direction.”
Baccam also said his campaign is preparing for a significant final push ahead as early voting begins, with just weeks before the Nov. 5 election. His biggest takeaway, Baccam said, was how engaged and hopeful Iowa voters are about the opportunity for change in the upcoming election.
“This is the most incredible thing we have: A state full of people who care so deeply about their communities,” Baccam said. “And as I travel the 3rd District, I hear clearly issues that matter to them. Women’s rights matter to them, making sure that we have a public education system that we can be proud of … we can do stuff like that again, as long as we start working together.”