Iowa 3rd District race 2026: Nunn vs. Garriott
General election, November 3, 2026 · U.S. House in Iowa’s 3rd District. Incumbent Zach Nunn (R), 51.8% in 2024 (PVI R+2)
Zach Nunn
Iowa’s Third District congressman since 2023, an Air Force colonel and former state legislator: his votes, bills, ratings and 2026 race, sourced to the record.
Read the documented profile of Zach NunnSarah Trone Garriott
American politician; Iowa state senator from West Des Moines, first elected in 2020; 2026 Democratic nominee for U.S. House in Iowa’s 3rd congressional district
The general-election field as the board records it: Nunn (R) vs. Sarah Trone Garriott (D)
The race at a glance
Board data as of . Ratings are the raters' own current calls; polls are the newest public ones with their field dates; money is what the committees reported. Nothing here is a forecast.
- Seat
- Incumbent Zach Nunn (R), 51.8% in 2024 (PVI R+2)
- Primary
- (Iowa SOS): Nunn 48,309 (98.58%); Trone Garriott 54,662 (99.26%)
- Ratings
- Cook Toss Up (); Sabato Toss-up (); IE Toss-up ()
- Newest public polling
- Ragnar (R, Conservatives For America) Mar 12–14 n=400: Nunn 48 / Trone Garriott 42; no nonpartisan general poll
- Reported money
- FEC : Nunn $4,869,249 / $3,568,369 COH; Trone Garriott $5,293,773 / $3,859,683. CLF Des Moines $4.5M; HMP $3,465,000.
- Notable
- Trump endorsed Nunn . Win It Back's $3.78M IA-SEN buy shares the Des Moines market.
Key dates in Iowa
Read from the Iowa Secretary of State. The full guide, with the official tools, is on the Iowa page.
- Voter registration deadline (pre-registration)October 19, 2026 is the pre-registration deadline. The Secretary of State's calendar for this election gives the deadline as 5:00 p.m.; online and mailed registrations have their own cutoffs (see the online and mail deadlines). After that date you may still register and vote through Election Day Registration, with proof of identity and residence. sos.iowa.gov
- Online registration deadlineOctober 19, 2026, at or before 11:59 p.m. CT (fifteen days before the election), through the Iowa DOT online system. You need an Iowa driver's license or non-operator ID and the last five digits of your Social Security number. voterready.iowa.gov
- Early voting (in-person absentee) beginsOctober 14, 2026, the first day of absentee voting. In-person absentee voting takes place at your county auditor's office or at a satellite location, if available. voterready.iowa.gov
- Deadline to request an absentee ballot by mailOctober 19, 2026: your original, signed request form must be received by your county auditor before 5:00 p.m. CT. County auditors began accepting requests on August 25, 2026. voterready.iowa.gov
- Deadline to return an absentee ballot (received, not postmarked)November 3, 2026 (Election Day): your absentee ballot must be received in your county auditor's office before 8:00 p.m. CT, whether you mail it or hand deliver it. This is a received-by deadline, not a postmark deadline, and voted absentee ballots cannot be turned in at a polling place. voterready.iowa.gov
- Election DayTuesday, November 3, 2026. voterready.iowa.gov
- Poll hoursPolls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. CT on Election Day, November 3, 2026. voterready.iowa.gov
Voting in Iowa: dates, rules and official tools
Questions and answers
Who is running for the U.S. House in Iowa’s 3rd District in 2026?
Nunn (R) vs. Sarah Trone Garriott (D) (as of Sep 15, 2026).
When is the election?
The general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Voter registration deadline (pre-registration): October 19, 2026 is the pre-registration deadline. The Secretary of State's calendar for this election gives the deadline as 5:00 p.m.; online and mailed registrations have their own cutoffs (see the online and mail deadlines). After that date you may still register and vote through Election Day Registration, with proof of identity and residence.
How do the raters see this race?
Cook Toss Up (Jan 15); Sabato Toss-up (Sep 10); IE Toss-up (Sep 10) (as of Sep 15, 2026).
What do the polls show?
Ragnar (R, Conservatives For America) Mar 12–14 n=400: Nunn 48 / Trone Garriott 42; no nonpartisan general poll (as of Sep 15, 2026).
How much money has been reported?
FEC Jun 30: Nunn $4,869,249 / $3,568,369 COH; Trone Garriott $5,293,773 / $3,859,683. CLF Des Moines $4.5M; HMP $3,465,000. (as of Sep 15, 2026).