Zach Wahls discusses priorities in U.S. Senate campaign

STATEWIDE — Coralville native Zach Wahls is seeking election to the United States Senate, campaigning on lowering costs for working families, defending rural Iowa, and reducing the influence of corporate interests in Washington. Wahls, a 34-year-old Democrat, currently serves as an Iowa State Senator and said his campaign is focused on representing everyday Iowans over political insiders.
“Iowans deserve a senator who answers to them — not to Donald Trump, not to corporate special interests, and not to party bosses in Washington,” Wahls said. “I’m running because Iowa needs a senator who puts Iowans over insiders, and I’ve spent my career in the State Senate proving I’ll do exactly that.”
Wahls has served in the Iowa Senate since 2019. During that time, he says he has worked on legislation related to affordable health care, manufactured housing protections, and price-fixing enforcement. He also highlighted bipartisan work with Republican State Senator Dave Sires on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban corporate money from Iowa elections.
“I’ve worked with Republicans and Democrats alike on issues that matter to everyday Iowans,” Wahls said. “That experience, building coalitions, doing the homework, taking on the establishment when it’s wrong, and staying accountable to constituents, is exactly what the U.S. Senate needs.”
A sixth-generation Iowan, Wahls graduated from the University of Iowa with an engineering degree and said he grew up in a working family that understood financial struggles firsthand.
On issues facing the state, Wahls pointed to rising living costs, rural hospital closures, farm consolidation, and water quality concerns as some of Iowa’s most pressing challenges.
“The cost of living is crushing Iowa families — gas, groceries, farm inputs, housing, and health care keep climbing while wages don’t,” Wahls said. “And underneath all of it: too many Iowans feel like Washington doesn’t listen — because it doesn’t.”
If elected, Wahls said his priorities would include protecting Social Security and Medicare, supporting family farms, addressing corporate consolidation, and reforming government ethics laws.
“That means protecting Social Security and Medicare from cuts,” Wahls said. “It means standing up for Iowa farmers against consolidation and unfair trade policy. And it means cleaning up Washington itself: banning congressional stock trading, ending corporate money in our elections, and enacting term limits.”
Wahls also emphasized support for rural communities, saying access to health care, broadband, and infrastructure remain critical.
“Rural Iowa’s success is Iowa’s success,” he said. “Rural Iowans deserve real broad-band, real access to health care, and infrastructure that lets small towns grow, not empty promises from politicians who only show up at harvest for the photo op.”
On education, Wahls said he supports investment in public schools, teacher pay increases, and expanded access to community colleges, apprenticeships, and vocational training.
“Every Iowa child deserves a quality public education regardless of zip code or family income,” Wahls said. “I believe strongly in local control: parents, teachers, and communities, not bureaucrats in Washington or D.C. consultants, should drive how their schools are run.”
Regarding taxes and spending, Wahls said he favors what he described as fair taxation and strategic investment.
“Fiscal responsibility means smart investments, preventive health care, conservation, infrastructure, that save money down the road,” he said. “Social Security and Medicare are not bargaining chips.”
Wahls said he believes bipartisan cooperation is important but added that compromise should not come at the expense of Iowa families.
“I’ll always be willing to work across the aisle if it means delivering for Iowa,” he said. “What I won’t do is go along to get along when Iowans are getting hurt.”
While campaigning across the state, Wahls said voters have consistently raised concerns about rising costs, agriculture, and frustration with Washington politics.
“In western Iowa I’m hearing real fear about the future of agriculture,” Wahls said. “Iowans want someone who shows up, picks up the phone, and actually fights for them.”
As Election Day approaches, Wahls said he hopes voters will choose a candidate focused on serving Iowa communities directly.
“I know Iowa, I know what’s at stake, and I won’t tell you what you want to hear.  I’ll tell you what I believe and show you what I’ve done,” Wahls said. “If you give me the honor of your vote, I’ll fight every single day to put Iowans over insiders, and I’ll be back in Harlan to answer for it.”