Knoxville chamber director joins race against US Sen. Joni Ernst

Some important names in Iowa Democratic politics are mulling a run against US Sen. Joni Ernst. This week, a newcomer became the first to announce his bid.

Iowa Democrats’ race to unseat Republican US Sen. Joni Ernst is taking shape about a year and a half before Election Day. Knoxville’s Nathan Sage announced this week he will challenge Ernst for her US Senate seat in 2026.

Sage, a marine and army veteran who served in Iraq, currently directs Knoxville’s Chamber of Commerce. Raised in a trailer park in Mason City, Sage has worked as mechanic and sports radio host. He said his working-class background and direct language is what Iowa Democrats need to win the race.

“I think Iowa, we just found out, is the second leading state in the country for cancer, right. Both my parents died of cancer. Both of them,” Sage told Iowa Starting Line. “And I think that’s a good starting point to understand what corporations have kind of done and rich people — rich billionaires — have done to our state.”

Sage’s entry comes as several established state legislators are also weighing bids, creating what could become a crowded Democratic primary field. State Senator Zach Wahls of Coralville, state Representative J.D. Scholten of Sioux City, and state Representative Josh Turek of Council Bluffs have all expressed interest in the seat. 

PODCAST – Listen to all Democrats considering a run against Ernst on their ideas and hopes for 2026.

Iowa has become increasingly red in recent elections, voting for President Donald Trump in 2024 by 13 percentage points. And is likely to stay in the hands of the Republican Party.

If Ernst decides to run for reelection in 2026, it would be her third term. She has not announced whether she will run again, but she has taken heat from the political right over the perception that she’s a DC insider who tried to block Trump’s agenda. For example, when Trump was pushing the nomination of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Ernst held up the nomination though ultimately caved following a pressure campaign led by the likes of Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk.

“I want to give people an actual reason to join the Democratic Party, and I want somebody to fight for them,” Sage said. “I feel like the Democratic Party does fight for a lot of people, but I think they’ve gotten away from really fighting for the working class and, and worrying more about other issues as opposed to fighting for the working class.”

With Governor Kim Reynolds recently announcing she won’t seek reelection in 2026, Iowa’s political landscape is entering a period of significant transition, potentially creating opportunities for new voices like Sage to breakthrough in races up and down the ballot. The crowded field reflects both the challenges and opportunities facing Iowa Democrats as they look to regain their footing in a traditionally purple state that has shifted red in recent years.