Race · November 3, 2026

U.S. House · Iowa's 4th District

2 candidates on the ballot — an open seat, with no incumbent running.1

§1Candidates

Why this matters: Every candidate the state lists for this race on the November ballot, in the state's own order.

Chris McGowan
Republican · Open seat
Dave Dawson
Democratic · Open seat

§2Side by side

Why this matters: The same facts for every candidate, in the same order. Where we found nothing for a candidate, the cell says so — that means we didn't find it in public sources, not that it doesn't exist.

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Chris McGowanDave Dawson
Party on the ballotRepublican1Democratic1
StatusOpen seatOpen seat
Raised$862,816 through October 14, 20262$259,241 through October 14, 20263
Cash on hand$443,9152$41,9763
Outside spending$214,487 for · $0 against4Not found in the public sources we checked

Issues only one candidate has addressed

By candidate, in ballot order. We found nothing public from the other candidates in this race on these issues.

Chris McGowan — 7 issues
  • Abortion law
    His campaign website says he is committed to advancing freedom at home and abroad, including defending life from conception to natural death.5
  • Trade agreements
    His campaign website says standing up for agriculture means supporting President Trump's efforts to secure free and fair-trade agreements for the goods Iowa farmers produce.5
  • Economic ties with China
    His campaign website says he will join the administration in standing up to China, bringing jobs back to America and restoring energy independence.5
  • Military spending
    His campaign website says he is committed to ensuring members of the military have the training, resources and equipment they need to defend freedom.5
  • Immigration enforcement inside the country
    His campaign website says he will work with the Trump administration to complete border enforcement, and that political officials must support the mission of Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations to arrest and remove people who undermine community safety and immigration laws.5
  • State and local role in immigration enforcement
    His campaign website criticizes officials in sanctuary cities for what it says is working to undermine ICE efforts, and says political officials must support ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations mission.5
  • Federal spending levels
    His campaign website's home page lists eliminating wasteful spending among his top priorities.6
Dave Dawson — 17 issues
  • Ethics rules for Supreme Court justices
    Pass a law setting a binding ethics code, with outside review of complaints and recusal decisions
    His campaign website says the Supreme Court should be bound by a binding code of ethics, the same as every other federal judge.7
  • Voting Rights Act protections
    Restore and widen protections by law, such as federal approval of voting changes in places with a history of discrimination (for example, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act)
    His campaign website says he supports restoring the full strength of the Voting Rights Act after recent Supreme Court rulings, including federal legislation to ensure every American has equal access to the ballot.7
  • Federal minimum wage
    His campaign website says he supports raising the federal minimum wage, which it notes has been $7.25 for 17 years.7
  • Union organizing rules
    Make it easier to form a union (for example, the PRO Act)
    His campaign website says he will fight to pass the PRO Act, which it says would strengthen the right of every American worker to form a union and bargain collectively.7
  • Student loan forgiveness
    Add targeted relief, such as more forgiveness for public service workers or through income-based repayment
    His campaign website says he will work to expand the supply of health care providers in rural Iowa through loan forgiveness for doctors, nurses and mental health professionals who serve in those communities.7
  • Campaign finance rules
    Limit spending by outside groups, including by amending the Constitution to overturn Citizens United
    His campaign website says he supports a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and get corporate and dark money out of elections.7
  • Stock trading by members of Congress
    Ban members themselves from trading individual stocks
    His campaign website says he will fight to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks.7
  • Term limits for Congress
    Longer limits, such as 12 to 18 years in each chamber
    His campaign website says he will fight for term limits of six terms in the House and two in the Senate.7
  • Child care costs
    His campaign website says he supports federal investment in affordable child care so parents can afford to work.7
  • Child tax credit
    His campaign website says he supports expanding the Child Tax Credit.7
  • Federal Medicaid funding
    His campaign website says he will fight any effort to cut Medicaid.7
  • Health insurance system
    Add a government plan that anyone can choose to buy
    His campaign website says he supports a public option, a voluntary government-run health plan that anyone can choose, while protecting the right of union members and others to keep the private coverage they have negotiated.7
  • Medicare drug price negotiation
    His campaign website says he supports allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices directly with pharmaceutical companies and capping the cost of insulin and other lifesaving medications.7
  • Social Security benefit levels
    His campaign website says he opposes any cut, privatization scheme or benefit reduction to Social Security or Medicare, and will fight to ensure annual cost-of-living adjustments keep up with the prices Iowa seniors pay.7
  • Social Security payroll tax cap
    Apply the tax to all earnings
    His campaign website says he supports lifting the Social Security payroll tax cap so the wealthiest Americans pay into the system at the same rate as everyone else.7
  • Business tax breaks
    His campaign website says he will fight to close tax loopholes that let billion-dollar corporations pay no federal income tax.7
  • High-speed internet access
    His campaign website says he supports federal investment in high-speed broadband so every Iowa town has the same access as cities.7

Issue statements are drafted by AI from the public sources cited, and only cover what each candidate has said publicly.