Another Democratic hopeful has exited Iowa’s high-stakes Senate race, underscoring the steep political climb facing the party in a state that has shifted decisively to the right.
Nathan Sage, a Democrat and executive director of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, announced Sunday that he is ending his campaign for the U.S. Senate, citing difficulties raising enough money to remain competitive.
“After long and thoughtful conversations with my family, my team, and trusted supporters, I’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to end my campaign for the United States Senate,” Sage said in a video message posted to social media.
Sage pointed to financial realities as the deciding factor in his withdrawal. “As a true grassroots campaign, we simply were unable to raise the financial resources necessary to keep this campaign viable,” he said. “In today’s political environment, it takes extraordinary sums of money to compete. … Too often, the system favors those with wealth, power, connection and established influence.”
The Democrat had been running to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, but faced an uphill battle in a state that has increasingly favored Republican candidates at both the state and national level.
Sage, a military veteran, was the first Democrat to enter the race last spring. Despite his early start, the numbers and political landscape proved daunting. Iowa has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 2008, when Sen. Tom Harkin won reelection. The state last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in 2012. In 2024, President Trump carried Iowa by 13 points, further cementing the state’s strong Republican lean.
The Cook Political Report currently rates the open Senate seat as “likely Republican,” one notch below solidly Republican, reflecting the GOP’s clear advantage heading into the general election.
Sage pledged that his exit from the race does not mark the end of his involvement in public life. He said he would continue to champion working-class voices and added that “this is not goodbye.”
On the Democratic side, the field remains in flux. Iowa state Rep. J.D. Scholten previously launched a campaign for Ernst’s seat but suspended his bid last summer and endorsed fellow state Rep. Josh Turek. State Sen. Zach Wahls is also seeking the Democratic nomination.
According to reporting from the Des Moines Register, Wahls outraised both Turek and Sage in the final quarter of 2024. Even so, fundraising figures highlight the broader challenge Democrats face in the race. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, who is favored to win the June 2 GOP primary, raised more than Wahls and Turek combined during the same period.
Hinson has secured endorsements from President Trump and Sen. Ernst, further solidifying her position within the Republican field and signaling strong party unity heading into the primary.
Sage’s departure narrows the Democratic field but does little to change the overall dynamics of the race. With Iowa trending red in recent cycles and national analysts rating the seat as likely Republican, Democrats continue to face long odds in their effort to flip the seat.
For now, the race appears to favor Republicans, who are aiming to hold the seat and build on their recent electoral strength in the Hawkeye State.
