Iowa Democrats rally for Baccam into Election Day

Democratic challenger Lanon Baccam made one last appeal to supporters in his bid against Republican US Rep. Zach Nunn.

Buoyed by the latest Iowa Poll showing Vice President Kamala Harris winning Iowa and Democrats reclaiming two of Iowa’s four congressional districts, Iowa Democratic figures gathered in the Franklin Jr. High Gym in Des Moines for one last get-out-the-vote event before Election Day.

Speakers rallied a packed gym full of Iowans to get out the vote, to take friends with them, and to keep volunteering—whether that means knocking doors or delivering pizzas to long lines outside of polling places.

“We have 24 hours to win these races,” State Auditor Rob Sand said. “Go knock doors, if you don’t like knocking doors, make phone calls. If you’re hoarse, send text messages. You can do something useful. Deliver pizza like I did today.”

The event was also Lanon Baccam’s last rally before polls close on Tuesday.

“Someone the other day said, ‘you know, this kind of feels like 2008.’ Y’all remember that year?” the Democratic candidate for Iowa’s 3rd district said, taking the stage after being introduced by former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack.

“I’m feeling it now. I know you are, too,” Baccam said. “And for that Iowa poll that came out, that was exciting. I don’t think anyone in this room is surprised, because you all have been putting in the hard work day after day, making sure we can get into the position we are right now.”

Non-partisan analysts at Cook Political Report rated the district a toss-up at the beginning of October. On Saturday, Nov. 2, the latest Iowa Poll conducted by Ann Selzer showed a Democrat has a 7-point advantage. It found 48% of likely voters favored a Democrat over a Republican (41%). 

For congressional races, the Iowa Poll asks voters about generic parties, not the specific named candidates. The margin of error for polling on congressional districts is plus or minus 7.2 percentage points, much higher than its presidential polling.

Incumbent US Rep. Zach Nunn was first elected in 2022 and beat then-incumbent US Rep. Cindy Axne by half a percentage point. 

Baccam reiterated his arguments for why he would be a better representative than Nunn, highlighting Nunn’s extreme positions on abortion and his support of raising the retirement age.

“I have sat down, I have listened, and I have learned,” Baccam said. “And that is what we need in our next representative, someone who’s going to pay attention to the issues that matter to all of us in our communities.”

In his closing message, Baccam thanked all of the volunteers who have worked hard on the ground to make the race close and he repeated his promise to fight for labor rights, education, and reproductive freedom.

“I love this country,” he said. “And I know you do too. That’s why you’re all here. You’re here because you love your country, you love your community, you love your family, and you’re willing to fight for them. And I’m willing to fight for them every day I’m in Congress, too.”