Full profile
Twelve candidates are running in Iowa’s contested U.S. Senate race ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The field consists of five Republicans, six Democrats and one Libertarian.
The race is contested in more than one way. Multiple candidates share the Republican label, multiple candidates share the Democratic label, and the full field spans three parties. That gives Iowa voters a large field to follow as the general election approaches.
Five Republicans are running
The Republican field has five candidates. Joni K Ernst is the incumbent, making her the only candidate in the race currently holding the Senate seat. The five Republican candidates account for nearly half of the full 12-person field.
- James Carlin — Republican. Carlin is one of five Republicans and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
- Joshua Daniel Smith — Republican. Smith is one of five Republicans and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
- Ashley Hinson Arenholz — Republican. Hinson Arenholz is one of five Republicans and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
- John Berman — Republican. Berman is one of five Republicans and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
- Joni K Ernst — Republican. Ernst is one of five Republicans and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
Six Democrats are running
The Democratic field is the largest party group in the race, with six candidates. Together, the Democratic candidates make up half of the 12-person field.
- Chris Henry — Democrat. Henry is one of six Democrats and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
- Joshua Turek — Democrat. Turek is one of six Democrats and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
- Jackie Norris — Democrat. Norris is one of six Democrats and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
- Nathan Sage — Democrat. Sage is one of six Democrats and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
- James Scholten — Democrat. Scholten is one of six Democrats and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
- Zach P Wahls — Democrat. Wahls is one of six Democrats and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
One Libertarian is running
The field also includes one Libertarian candidate, adding a third party to the statewide contest.
- Thomas Raymond Dr. Laehn — Libertarian. Laehn is the only Libertarian and one of 12 candidates in Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate contest.
What makes the race contested
No party has the field to itself. Republicans, Democrats and a Libertarian are running, while the Republican and Democratic groups each include several candidates. The Republican field has five names, and the Democratic field has six.
The central process question is which candidates will appear in the Nov. 3 general election. Until that field is settled, voters can track the candidates by party affiliation and watch for any changes to the current list. The election date is the same statewide: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
