Iowa House District 75 Candidate, Drew Stensland
Candidate Website: https://www.drewforiowa.com/Â
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General Election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Drew Stensland is a lifelong Cedar Falls resident, raised in a union household by a father who worked as a Cedar Falls firefighter and a mother who worked as an Area Education Agency professional — a household, he's said, that taught him the value of service, accountability, and showing up for your community.
Drew's own path into leadership started early. He served as Student Body President at Cedar Falls High School and became the first student representative on the Cedar Falls School Board. As a student, he helped pass the bond issue that led to the construction of the community's new high school. He went on to the University of Northern Iowa, where he double-majored in public administration and political science, served as Speaker of the Student Senate, and was elected UNI's Student Body President in 2018. During his time as a student leader, he helped create a UNI student seat on the Cedar Falls City Council and played a key role in the #PanthersVote effort, one of the highest student voter turnout initiatives in the country.
Since graduating from UNI in 2019, Drew has worked in the Iowa State Auditor's Office, where he's been the community engagement officer and has helped implement State Auditor Rob Sand's Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program — experience that has shaped his focus on transparency and restoring trust in state government.
Drew is running for the open Iowa House District 75 seat being vacated by longtime Rep. Bob Kressig, who is retiring after 11 terms representing Cedar Falls. Drew calls Kressig not just his representative but his friend, and has said carrying his legacy forward would be an honor. He won a competitive Democratic primary against fellow UNI alum Jared Gadson and has earned the endorsement of the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, as well as Kressig himself, Rob Sand, and fellow Black Hawk County legislators Timi Brown-Powers and Jerome Amos.
Fun facts: Drew was the first student representative on the Cedar Falls School Board and later served as UNI's Student Body President. He's worked in Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand's office implementing the PIE program since 2019.
Drew Stensland has built his campaign for House District 75 around lowering costs for working Iowans, fully funding public education, and restoring trust in state government — priorities he says are shaped directly by his years working inside the State Auditor's office.
Lowering costs. Drew has said Iowans deserve protection from rising costs, and has framed reducing the everyday financial burden on working families as one of his top legislative priorities.
Fully funding public education. Drew supports full funding for Iowa's public schools and has emphasized accountability for the state's private school voucher program, an issue he's said has drained resources from the public schools most Cedar Valley families rely on.
Strengthening UNI as an economic driver. As a UNI alum and former student body president, Drew has made supporting the university's role as an economic engine for the Cedar Valley a specific campaign priority, arguing that a strong UNI benefits the entire district's economy.
Government transparency and accountability. Drawing on his work in the State Auditor's office implementing the PIE program, Drew has centered his campaign on restoring trust in state government after what he calls a decade of corrupt insiders running the state.
Clean water and the environment. Drew has pledged to protect clean drinking water and the environment as part of his broader platform for the district.
Supporting seniors. Drew supports affordable and accountable long-term care options for Iowa's seniors, an issue he's said is increasingly urgent as the population ages.
Drew has framed his candidacy generationally as well as substantively, saying that when fewer young people step into public service, nothing changes unless someone is willing to lead — a message he's paired with his commitment to bring young people along with him into political engagement.
House District 75 covers Cedar Falls, and Drew Stensland's campaign to succeed retiring Rep. Bob Kressig after 11 terms is a significant transition moment for Black Hawk County Democrats in one of their most reliable seats.
Continuity in a reliably Democratic seat. Kressig's retirement after more than two decades of service creates real uncertainty for a seat Democrats have long relied on, and Drew's deep local roots and direct relationship with Kressig give the party a credible, well-connected successor.
A pipeline from campus to Capitol. Drew's background as UNI's student body president and his work building the #PanthersVote turnout program gives Black Hawk County Democrats a direct link to UNI's student population — a critical voting bloc in Cedar Falls that the party will need engaged for the entire 2026 ticket.
Institutional and labor support. Drew's endorsement from the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO signals organized labor's continued investment in Cedar Valley races, giving Black Hawk County Democrats access to union field resources during a competitive election cycle.
A watchdog perspective from inside state government. Drew's years working directly under State Auditor Rob Sand give him firsthand knowledge of the same waste, fraud, and accountability issues that anchor Sand's campaign for governor — creating a natural message alignment as both campaigns run simultaneously in 2026.
Turnout for a competitive statewide slate. With Rob Sand, Josh Turek, and Lindsay James all running competitive races in 2026, a strong, well-organized campaign to hold House District 75 helps anchor turnout in Cedar Falls for the entire Black Hawk County Democratic ticket.