Dave
Bushaw
Independent Dave Bushaw runs for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District seat in 2026, campaigning as a community organizer and farmer from Hawkeye, Iowa.
- sources
- 11
- positions
- 12
- endorsements
- 1
Background
Dave Bushaw is an independent candidate for U.S. House in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District in the November 3, 2026 election. He was born and raised in West Union, Iowa, and currently resides in Hawkeye, Iowa. His education includes North Fayette High School. 1518
Bushaw's career background, as described by his campaign, includes early work detasseling corn, at a chicken hatchery, and in quality control at Agristar Meat & Poultry. He developed a squash farm called Solidarity Fields from 2014 to 2019, served as a rural field organizer for Bernie Sanders' 2019–2020 presidential campaign, and worked with United Today, Stronger Tomorrow from 2020 to 2025. His campaign also describes him as a folk and labor musician and songwriter. 1
He currently serves as co-founder and organizer of Real Men's Circles, a community organizing effort, and holds no prior elected office. 15 The seat he is seeking is open because incumbent Representative Ashley Hinson is running for the U.S. Senate. 5
Bushaw is running as an independent (listed as "No Party" on the Iowa Secretary of State's candidate list) and has made building an independent political movement a central theme of his campaign. 61018
At a glance
- Party
- No Party
- Running for
- U.S. House · District 2, Iowa
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
- Current office
- Co-founder and organizer, Real Men's Circles
- Website
- davebushaw.com(opens in a new tab)
Where they stand
Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.
Timeline
- Oct 9pollIowa Youth Straw Poll: Bushaw receives 411 votes (16%) in District 2 student mock election
In a statewide mock election involving 2,498 students for the District 2 race, Bushaw received 411 votes, or 16%. This was a student straw poll, not a poll of district voters, and should not be treated as a measure of the general electorate.
11,671 Iowa Students Participate in Secretary of State's Iowa Youth Straw Poll · Oct 12, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 9newsBushaw makes independent pitch at Tama County campaign stop, outlines policy priorities
At a meeting in Tama County (event ca. Sept. 26, reported Oct. 9), Bushaw identified his main priorities as improving water quality, establishing national ballot initiatives, and guaranteeing universal health care. He also supported stronger organized-labor protections, guaranteed child-care access, marijuana reform, and campaign-finance changes; he defended gun rights and called for stronger border enforcement. On foreign policy, he opposed using U.S. taxpayer money for Israeli military operations.
Congressional candidate Dave Bushaw makes independent pitch during Tama County stop · Oct 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 8debateBushaw excluded from second Iowa 2nd District televised debate on Iowa PBS
Bushaw and Libertarian Rick Stewart again did not participate in the Iowa PBS debate on Oct. 8, which featured only James and Mitchell. Both candidates were said not to meet the organizers' qualifying criteria.
Where Iowa 2nd Congressional District candidates stand on Iran, tariffs · Oct 8, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 1debateBushaw excluded from first Iowa 2nd District televised debate on Iowa's News Now
Bushaw and Libertarian Rick Stewart did not participate in the Iowa's News Now debate on Oct. 1, which featured only James and Mitchell. Bushaw and Stewart did not meet the debate organizers' qualifying criteria, which included polling, fundraising, news coverage, and campaign presence.
Two candidates in Iowa's 2nd congressional district appear ... · Oct 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 29newsBushaw listed as planned attendee at Wartburg College disability-rights candidate forum
Wartburg College listed Bushaw among candidates who had indicated they would attend a Sept. 29 forum on disability-rights issues. The college's notice establishes his stated intention to attend but does not confirm his attendance.
Disability rights to be subject of candidate forum at Wartburg · Sep 22, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Aug 19filingBushaw confirmed on Iowa 2nd District general election ballot as No Party candidate
Iowa's accepted candidate list for the Nov. 3 general election included Bushaw as a No Party candidate alongside Republican Joe Mitchell, Democrat Lindsay James, and Libertarian Rick Stewart. The list was last updated Aug. 19.
Iowa 2nd District Race 2026: Mitchell vs. James | The Stated ... · Oct 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Aug 15newsBushaw makes policy remarks at Des Moines Register Political Soapbox event
A candidate comparison page reports Bushaw stated politicians should not be involved in decisions about women's reproductive health care at his Political Soapbox appearance, and summarizes his platform as including universal health care.
Compare IA-02 House candidates 2026 | Smarter.Vote · Oct 10, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Endorsements
- Forward Party organizationForward Party CEO Lindsey Drath described Bushaw as focused on 'solving problems rather than advancing partisan agendas.' forwardparty.com · Jun 24, 2026
Campaign finance
Totals filed with the Federal Election Commission for the 2026 election cycle.
- Raised
- $26K
- Spent
- $14K
- Cash on hand
- $12K
As of Jun 30, 2026. Filings are periodic, so recent money may not be included yet. ↳ FEC record H6IA02260(opens in a new tab)
Sources 11
- [1] 11,671 Iowa Students Participate in Secretary of State's Iowa Youth Straw Poll(opens in a new tab) Oct 12, 2026
- [2] Compare IA-02 House candidates 2026 | Smarter.Vote(opens in a new tab) Oct 10, 2026
- [3] Congressional candidate Dave Bushaw makes ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
- [4] Congressional candidate Dave Bushaw makes independent pitch during Tama County stop(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
- [5] Where Iowa 2nd Congressional District candidates stand on Iran, tariffs(opens in a new tab) Oct 8, 2026
- [6] Platform — Dave Bushaw for Congress(opens in a new tab) Oct 5, 2026
- [7] Iowa 2nd District Race 2026: Mitchell vs. James | The Stated ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 1, 2026
- [8] Two candidates in Iowa's 2nd congressional district appear ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 1, 2026
- [9] Disability rights to be subject of candidate forum at Wartburg(opens in a new tab) Sep 22, 2026
- [10] Independent candidate Dave Bushaw fires up the crowd at Soapbox(opens in a new tab) Aug 15, 2026
- [11] The Forward party endorses Iowa Congressional candidates(opens in a new tab) Jun 24, 2026