Where was Joe Mitchell living? The Iowa congressional candidate collected a tax credit on a Mount Pleasant property, while his voter registration, business filings, and a condo purchase all pointed to a different address in downtown Des Moines.
A Republican congressional candidate received a homestead tax credit on a Mount Pleasant property while a review of public records indicates he was primarily living in Des Moines. Joe Mitchell, who is running in the Republican primary for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, took a homestead tax credit on a property he owns in Mount Pleasant, according to the Henry County Recorder’s records.
To qualify for the credit, Iowa law requires a homeowner to occupy the property for at least six months every year. It is illegal to claim a homestead tax credit where you do not live. But multiple public records suggest Mitchell was not living there during the 2023-2024 period when he received the credit.
In June 2022, the former state representative purchased a condominium at a 25-story high-rise condominium called The Plaza in downtown Des Moines for $205,000. IRS filings for a conservative political organization Mitchell founded listed his personal address at the Des Moines apartment beginning in 2022. In 2023, his real estate LLC’s registered address also changed to the Des Moines condo.
Voter registration records obtained by Iowa Starting Line also show Mitchell was registered to vote at the Des Moines apartment from October 2023 through September 2, 2025—just six days before he announced his congressional campaign.
The residency questions aren’t new. The Gazette reported in January that Mitchell, 28, was living in Des Moines shortly before changing his voter registration and launching his campaign.
Radio Iowa reported Mitchell spent the last half of his senior year in high school working as a page in the Iowa House. He studied at Drake University in Des Moines “so he could continue working in the state capitol.” While in school, he worked at the Capitol for four legislative sessions, working as a page, a clerk, and even an intern for Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office. According to his Future Caucus bio, Mitchell also worked with “a multi-client lobbying firm where he helped represent a variety of clients on issues involving healthcare, taxes, education funding, and regulations.”
A person who fraudulently claims a homestead credit can be found guilty of a fraudulent practice and required to repay the credit plus a penalty of 25% plus interest, under Iowa law.
In response to Iowa Starting Line’s questions about Mitchell’s homestead tax credit claim, his campaign manager Drew Johns said, “Joe will call the assessor’s office and look into this.”
