U.S. House, District 2 Candidate, Lindsay James
Candidate Website: Lindsay James for IowaÂ
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General Election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Lindsay James' path to public service began long before she ever considered running for office. As a college chaplain, she sat beside people in their hardest hours — listening without judgment, offering hope, and finding common ground where none seemed possible. Those experiences, she says, taught her that every person matters and every person's struggles deserve attention. That conviction now anchors her run to represent Iowa's open 2nd Congressional District, which includes Waterloo and Black Hawk County.
James, a Presbyterian minister from Dubuque, has served four terms as a state representative in the Iowa House, where she built a reputation as a legislator who refuses to be drowned out — someone who insists that government should serve people, not the powerful, and that no one, whether a child, a farmer, or a working family, should be pushed aside.
In the legislature, Lindsay co-founded Iowa's first bipartisan, bicameral caucus, an effort to break down barriers between Republicans and Democrats to actually solve problems together. She's worked to expand access to affordable insulin, protect mobile home residents from predatory corporate landlords, and champion affordable housing and mental health care investments.
Lindsay won a competitive three-way Democratic primary in June 2026 against Clint Twedt-Ball, a former nonprofit executive, and Kathy Dolter, a retired Army nurse and community college nursing dean — a signal of the depth of Democratic interest in flipping this open seat, left vacant when Rep. Ashley Hinson gave up the district to run for U.S. Senate.
Fun facts: Lindsay is a Presbyterian minister who spent years as a college chaplain — including at Loras College in Dubuque — before entering politics. She co-founded Iowa's first bipartisan, bicameral legislative caucus. She's based in Dubuque but is running to represent a sprawling district that stretches west to include Mason City, Cedar Rapids, and Waterloo.
Lindsay James says her faith compels her to fix what she sees as a broken and corrupt system — and her platform centers on leveling the playing field for Iowans who've been left behind.
Bringing down the cost of living. Lindsay's top priority is addressing the affordability crisis facing Iowa families — from the parent dipping into savings to buy a birthday pizza, to the senior forced to choose between prescriptions and rent. She's focused on good-paying jobs, lower costs for essentials, and policies that let Iowans actually save for their futures rather than just get by.
Health care that works for everyone. Lindsay has made reversing the health care cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act a top priority, along with pushing for high-quality, affordable, and accessible health care for every Iowa family regardless of zip code. In the legislature, she worked to expand access to affordable insulin for Iowans managing diabetes.
Ending D.C. corruption. Lindsay's campaign centers on the idea that politics should be about solving problems, not playing partisan games — and that too many politicians in Washington have lost sight of who they're supposed to serve.
Standing with Iowa farmers. As a candidate representing a heavily agricultural district, Lindsay has prioritized support for family farmers navigating trade instability, rising input costs, and consolidation in the agriculture sector.
Strong schools and safe communities. Lindsay has pledged to protect Iowa's public education system and fight for strong schools that keep kids safe and prepare them for future jobs, along with policies that keep Iowa communities safe.
In the legislature, Lindsay also worked to protect mobile home residents from predatory corporate landlords looking to price-gouge hardworking families — a fight she's said reflects her broader belief that no one should be pushed aside by people with more power and resources.
Iowa's 2nd Congressional District includes Waterloo and all of Black Hawk County, which makes Lindsay James' campaign to flip this open seat one of the most consequential races on the ballot for local Democrats in 2026.
An open seat in a genuinely winnable district. With Ashley Hinson vacating the seat to run for Senate, this is the first open 2nd District race in years — and national handicappers have flagged it as one of a handful of competitive U.S. House races in Iowa this cycle. For Black Hawk County Democrats, an open seat represents a rare opportunity to flip a Congressional district that includes their own community.
A district-wide coalition builder. Lindsay's background as a chaplain and her record of co-founding Iowa's first bipartisan caucus give her crossover appeal with independents and moderate Republicans — exactly the kind of coalition Black Hawk County Democrats need to build in a district that stretches from Dubuque through Waterloo to Mason City and Cedar Rapids.
Turnout at the top of a competitive ticket. Lindsay's race sits alongside the competitive campaigns of Rob Sand for Governor and Josh Turek for U.S. Senate, giving Black Hawk County Democrats a genuinely competitive top of the ticket in 2026 — one that can help drive turnout for the county's legislative and courthouse candidates as well.
A direct line to Waterloo's priorities. Lindsay's focus on affordability, health care, and standing up for farmers speaks to the concerns of both Waterloo's working families and the rural stretches of the district — a combination Black Hawk County Democrats will be counting on to help carry the seat in November.
Lindsay James' opponent for Iowa's open 2nd Congressional District seat is Joe Mitchell, a Republican from Clear Lake who won the GOP nomination with an endorsement from President Trump.
Experience. Lindsay has served four terms as an Iowa state representative and spent years working as a college chaplain before entering politics. Mitchell served two terms before leaving to join the Trump administration, most recently as a regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and previously as chief of staff at the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
Approach to government. Lindsay has built her legislative record around bipartisan collaboration, co-founding Iowa's first bipartisan, bicameral caucus and working across the aisle on issues like insulin affordability. Mitchell has framed his campaign around unwavering alignment with President Trump's agenda, telling Radio Iowa that Trump "needs the strongest ally possible in congress" and that he intends to be that ally.
Priorities. Lindsay's campaign centers on affordability, healthcare access, and protecting Medicaid from further cuts. Mitchell has emphasized fiscal restraint, border security, support for tariffs, and defending the Second Amendment and anti-abortion policy, while running a real estate development business focused on workforce housing in rural Iowa communities.
Roots in the district. Lindsay lives in Dubuque, at one end of the sprawling district; Mitchell's hometown of Clear Lake sits at the other. Both campaigns have worked to build support across the district's full geography, which spans from the Mississippi River through Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, and Mason City.
The bottom line for Black Hawk County voters: this race pits a four-term state legislator known for bipartisan coalition-building and a message built around affordability and health care against a 28-year-old Trump administration alum whose campaign is built on unwavering loyalty to the president's agenda.