Three candidates are running to represent Iowa Senate District 26, which represents portions of Story County, including Nevada and Huxley, and Marshall County, including Marshalltown and State Center.
Republicans Gannon Hendrick and Kara Warme are running for their party's nomination in the June primary. The winner will face Democrat Mike Wolfe in the November general election.
Republican Sen. Jeff Edler is not running for reelection.
To help voters, the Des Moines Register sent questions to all federal and Des Moines area legislative candidates running for political office this year. Their answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
The primary election is scheduled for June 4 ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.
More:Early voting has started for Iowa's June 4 primary election. Here's what you should know:
Who is Gannon Hendrick?
Age: 39
Party: Republican
Where did you grow up: I grew up on a farm outside of McCallsburg in rural Story County, and I have lived my entire life in Iowa, except when called to service in the Army Reserve.
Current town of residence: I live on my family farm outside of McCallsburg.
Education: I graduated from Colo-NESCO High School and Iowa State University. I have also attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and multiple other military schools.
Occupation: I operate a small business raising cattle on my family farm, I am an active member of the U.S. Army Reserve having served for nearly 22 years and holding the rank of lieutenant colonel, and I also work in the Office of the Iowa Senate President serving as the chief of staff for Sen. Amy Sinclair.
Political experience and civic activities: I have run for Story County supervisor, and I have been elected as a Colo-NESCO School Board member, Warren Township trustee, and Warren Township clerk. I have volunteered for numerous political campaigns, primarily in the Iowa State Senate, but I have also volunteered for Tom Latham for Congress, Dave Deyoe for Iowa House, and a few Republican presidential campaigns. Additionally, I served on the Story County Republican Central Committee, as a Story County Republican Convention delegate, and as a 4th Congressional District and state Republican Convention delegate for Story County.
Who is Kara Warme?
Age: 44
Party: Republican
Where did you grow up: San Diego
Current town of residence: Ames
Education: Stanford University: Bachelor of Science, industrial engineering; University of Iowa: MBA
Occupation: Mom, businesswoman, nonprofit executive, farm owner
Political experience and civic activities: Founder and troop coordinator, American Heritage Girls; board member, Ames Soccer Club; licensed substitute teacher; Iowa Rural Development Council; Izaak Walton League; Sunday school and VBS leader, Cornerstone Church
Who is Mike Wolfe?
Age: 49
Party: Democratic
Where did you grow up: I grew up in Lacey, Washington. I lived in San Diego for a few years after high school. I met my wife who is an Iowa farm kid and was tired of the big city, so we moved to Ames and Iowa State University.
Current town of residence: I live near Maxwell, where we raise sheep, chickens, bees, and occasionally turkeys. We've developed an orchard with apples, cherries, pears, and peaches along with a large garden.
Education: I graduated with distinction as a construction engineer from IowaState University.
Occupation: I am an estimator for a union mechanical contractor. I've had a 20-year career of finding work for building trade union members.
Political experience and civic activities: I have served on professional boards in my field, the American Society of Heating Ventilation and AirconditioningEngineers and the American Society of Professional Estimators.But this is my first campaign for public office.
What would be your top issue should you be elected?
Hendrick: Property taxes are the issue I am hearing about most as I visit with constituents and this is concerning, especially for people living on a fixed income like retirees. I believe we need to enforce hard caps on property tax levies and eliminate levies that are duplicative to provide greater transparency in the property tax revenues and local government budgets. Iowa families have to prioritize spending to live within their means, and government should be no different.
Warme: The biggest issue I hear from Republicans at their doors is real concern about the disastrous Biden administration. From inflation, to immigration, to foreign policy, Iowans have a real fear for the future of our nation. My top issue will be fighting back against federal overreach and ensuring Iowa continues to set a national example for excellent conservative governance. Iowa has been a national leader in empowering parents, cutting taxes, reducing barriers to job creation, reforming government, and controlling state spending. The success of those policies shows the bright contrast between conservative Iowa values and the failures in D.C.
Wolfe: I can't pick just one top issue. I want to return public education funds to public schools rather than the private education vouchers. I want to repair the damage done to our AEA system in the last session. And I want to repeal the six-week abortion ban. All of these are important goals that improve the quality of life of everyday Iowans.
What policies would you support to improve Iowa’s education system?
Hendrick: I support educational choice for all Iowa families. Ensuring education policy allows parents to choose the best option for their students is paramount to student success, regardless of whether that choice is their local public school, a different public school, a private school, a charter school, or homeschooling. Providing families with choice allows parents to hold schools accountable for the education of their students, and accountability leads to better performance.
Warme: In education, the focus needs to be on the students and what we can do to prepare them for the future and set them up for success. The primary goal in our schools should be helping kids learn and grow, starting with ensuring they know the basics like reading, math, and science. Too many times those basics are getting lost today in the pursuit of educational fads and left-wing ideology like critical race theory. My goal is to help Iowa’s education system be the best in the nation, supported by exceptional teachers, robust mental health services, and active parental involvement.
Wolfe: We need to repeal the private school voucher program. It's a tax giveaway to wealthy Iowans at the expense of hard-working people. Public education spending in Iowa has lagged behind inflation for years. Well-educated children are the future success of Iowa and we need to invest in them. Also, we need to repeal the changes made to the AEA system this session and attempt to repair the damage caused by the loss of experienced providers and staff.
What do you think Iowa’s tax policy should be? Do you believe the state’s priority should be on lowering rates or spending on services for Iowans?
Hendrick: The state’s tax policy should be focused on reducing tax rates while broadening the tax base through economic development. Bringing high quality jobs to Iowa is good for Iowa families and it grows the economy, which is good for the state as a whole. This allows the state to provide resources toward essential government services that Iowans depend on while still enacting tax cuts that benefit all Iowans.
Warme: When Democrats and the media talk about state spending, they make it seem like the government owns the money. In reality, this money belongs to the hard-working Iowans who earn it with their strength, talent, and effort. State government must be careful to manage every dollar and whenever possible ensure Iowans keep more of what they earn. I believe the question here is a false choice. It is possible to conservatively budget and focus on important priorities, but still leave more money in the hands of Iowans. I plan on continuing this practice and support Iowa cutting taxes even further.
Wolfe: We need to invest in Iowa. Our school funding has lagged behind inflation for years. We invest less money in our regents universities now than we did 20 years ago. The current administration is hoarding a surplus to justify tax cuts while Iowa crumbles due to lack of investment.
What policies would you support to improve school safety in Iowa?
Hendrick: I believe schools need to have the ability to take an “all of the above” approach to keeping students safe. I support policies that allow local districts to make local decisions based on community values and resource allocation when it comes to how they provide school security. One of the policies I am proud to have worked on for Sen. Sinclair is HF 2652. Among the topics addressed, this bill ensures school security is prioritized over recreational projects, provides funding flexibility for security equipment and technology, and requires security equipment already purchased to be installed and operational.
Warme: Kids are our future so school safety must be a top priority. I am a big proponent of school resource officers. SROs increase school safety and create a positive first association between students and law enforcement. As reported by the Ames Tribune in March 2024, the Ames Police Department has responded to more than 700 calls at or near Ames schools since school resource officers were removed in December 2021. This is an inefficient use of taxpayer funds and a reduction of safety. Another key facet of school safety is a robust mental health system for youth and families.
Wolfe: A first step would be to allocate funding for all school buildings to have a secure access system to prevent intruders during the school day. But improvements in services to the students is needed as well. We should provide mental health funding in public education to provide licensed mental health counselors. Counselors in the schools allow working parents to get the help they need for their kids without jeopardizing their job and paychecks.
What next steps do you believe the Iowa Legislature should take when it comes to abortion?
Hendrick: I am pro-life. I was adopted as an infant by two loving parents who raised me to know the value of hard work and a dollar. My biological parents were unmarried college students who knew they couldn’t care for me, and they made the loving decision to have me and give me up for adoption. They could have chosen abortion, and I wouldn’t be here today. First is to see what the Supreme Court decides regarding the heartbeat bill, so the Legislature can determine the next steps. Regardless of that court decision, I will always protect the unborn.
Warme: I am pro-life and will always vote to protect life. I have been a volunteer and donor with Birthright, Obria Medical Clinic, and Martha’s House of Hope. In my current position with YSS, I work to support pregnant and parenting young mothers. I will fight for a culture of life in our state, from babies in the womb, to young mothers, to veterans and the elderly. The Legislature has passed many impactful laws to protect and value life. It is critical for the Iowa Supreme Court to uphold the latest bill to protect life at the sound of a heartbeat.
Wolfe: I believe we should immediately repeal the six-week abortion ban. Most people won't even know they're pregnant at that point. I think we should also work toward an amendment to the Iowa Constitution protecting abortion rights. I want Iowans to have the right to vote on this issue directly and enshrine that opinion in our state constitution.
