Zach Wahls, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, sits down with KCCI

Well, thanks for joining us. We appreciate it. Thanks Amanda. I want to start on the issue of affordability because I’m sure as you hear when you’re going around, Iowans are feeling *** high cost of living still. If you were elected to the US Senate, what is the first specific policy that you would push to lower everyday costs and how would it actually bring prices down? We need to end this war with Iran right now. The war is wrong. Bombing of innocent civilians is wrong. And we are already seeing *** very high human toll and the economic toll is climbing, and I was 429 when we were getting ready to come over to Des Moines yesterday, um, and it was, uh, high before that, and it looks like it’s just continuing to go up with no end in sight. Uh, so that is something that we are hearing about everywhere we go. It’s not just gasoline for cars, it’s diesel. *** lot of farmers are in the field right now with planting season underway. Um, and then we also see the impacts on fertilizer, and if this war continues and drags into the fall, we’re gonna have real problems. Um, another place where I think that we can have, um, I hope bipartisan cooperation would be on ensuring that the tariff chaos that has been creating so many problems over the last 15 months, um, that we can finally take that out of the hands of the president and restore it to Congress, which is where that power belongs. Uh, that’s something that I think there’s probably more bipartisan support for behind the scenes than some Republicans would like to admit. Um, but that’s something that I think we can make some good bipartisan, uh, progress on. Um, and then finally, you know, one of the issues I’ve worked on *** lot in the legislature is housing. Uh, we’ve seen manufactured housing and trailer park issues, uh, be *** real issue here in the Des Moines area. It’s been an issue in my district as well. And that’s *** place where I’ve had some success in the legislature, uh, working in *** bipartisan way, and I think that we could certainly do that in the US Senate. Uh, but I think Iowans need to know first and foremost that when I go to the US Senate, I’m not gonna be there to work for the billionaires or the big corporations. I’m gonna do what I think is right for the people, and that’s gonna mean having some tough fights, but I fought those fights before. I’ve won some of those tough fights. It’s exactly what I’ll do in the US Senate. Let’s talk about health care. There’s *** lot we could talk about on health care. I know that you’re supportive of *** public option, but major health care reform is likely to take years just looking at the makeup of our Senate, you know, if you were elected, there would be still probably *** Republican president. If you were elected though, is there *** step that you could take right away to lower costs for health care or ensure that there’s more access to health care in Iowa? After Ashley Hinson voted for the Republican budget and Donald Trump signed it into law, we went to Joni Ernst’s hometown Hospital in Red Oak, Iowa, Montgomery County, and met with leaders at that hospital to ask what these cuts were going to mean for them. And what they told us was that before Medicaid’s directed payments program came online, 60% of Iowa’s rural hospitals were operating at *** structural loss. They were in the red. But when that came online it went down to 10%. But with these cuts, they think that number is gonna go from 10 back to 60% or higher. We’re already starting to see hospitals and clinics are now closure both here in Des Moines and in places like Ottumwa and more rural areas across the state. So I think that as these cuts, the impact of these cuts become clear, I do think that there will be bipartisan interest in reversing those cuts. The rural Health Transformation Fund, the $50 billion.50 billion dollars is *** lot less than $800 billion and people understand that that math is not gonna work. And so I think that I would work with anybody to try to reverse those cuts. Uh, the Affordable Care Act is another place where obviously there was conversation about potentially restoring some of that investment, and of course that hasn’t happened. Ashley Hinson voted to end that investment. They gutted the Affordable Care Act. My sister is one of over 100,000 Iowans whose health insurance premiums went through the roof as *** result of that vote. That was the wrong thing to do. And I think that as more Iowans feel the pain of those cuts again, I, I would hope that there would be people who we could work with across the aisle to get those cuts reversed for *** clarification so I make sure that I explain kind of your stance correctly in terms of the rural transformation fund and then also I’ll get to Affordable Care Act, but. Um, that fund you would push potentially for more funding than what is currently. Yeah, my point is simply the massive cuts of $800 billion are going to swamp the $50 billion of investment and so I think is that $750 billion net cut takes effect. The pain is going to be unfortunately so deep that people are going to realize this was *** huge mistake and it has to be reversed. And then on the Affordable Care Act specifically talking about the subsidies that, you know, created *** lot of headlines as they as they expired. What would you want to reverse the, you know, would you want to extend those out? Like, yeah, I think that those investments need to be restored, uh, and voting to end them was the wrong vote, uh, that’s hurting individuals. My sister, uh, is *** freelance, um, graphic illustrator and. Artist, uh, and she doesn’t have *** traditional employer. She was buying her plan through the ACA. It’s also harming *** lot of small businesses. When we were in Lynn County, this is *** few months ago, um, met *** gentleman who was using, uh, the Affordable Care Act to provide affordable health insurance for his employees. And as *** result of those cuts, their healthcare costs tripled. I mean, that’s bad for Iowa businesses, it’s bad for Iowa workers. It’s making healthcare more expensive for all of us and it has to change. I want to talk to you about immigration now. If you were elected to the Senate, what do you think needs to change in terms of reform to the immigration system, both in terms of border security, how immigration enforcement works right now, but also, you know, what legal pathways to citizenship we have in the US, how that needs to change as well. I made very clear I would support the bipartisan immigration deal that was struck before the 2024 election that would secure the border, create *** pathway to legal status. And make new investments in our immigration courts so we can handle those cases in an expeditious manner, um, but immigration is *** place of some real distinction in this Democratic primary. Uh, Representative Ture, my Democratic opponent, was one of only 3 Democrats to vote with Republicans on an anti-immigrant bill that Kim Reynolds proposed in 2024 that essentially required Iowa law enforcement to do the job of ICE and federal immigration enforcement. Which is not only unconstitutional, the ACLU of Iowa said that that law was one of the most extreme discriminatory, unconstitutional anti-immigrant laws anywhere in the country. Law enforcement spoke out against it. Uh, the ACLU spoke out against it. The Catholic Church spoke out against it. Immigrant groups spoke out against it. Um, and I listened to those groups. I spoke up during the debate and I made the same point that I heard law enforcement officers make to me, which is that laws like this erode trust in law enforcement. They make it harder for local cops to do their jobs well. Representative Turk didn’t listen to those folks. He voted with Republicans on *** bill that Brenna Byrd now is preparing to defend in front of the US Supreme Court and trying to make that law take effect. It was the wrong vote then, but Iowans can trust my record on this issue. Been very clear that this is something that has to be addressed, but we got to do it the right way. I was just at an event with the vice president when he stopped in Iowa. We got *** little taste of how we’re going to expect Republicans to be messaging as we get closer to the general election. One thing, I mean, almost immediately in his speech, he started talking about. How the Democratic Party is the party of illegal immigration and that if Democrats get elected they’re gonna take all of your taxpayer dollars and send them to illegal immigrants and they don’t believe in border security. You know, if you were the Democrat to be running in this US Senate seat, that’s likely to be an argument that Ashley. And Republicans, you know, would make about you. Well, of course it’s absolutely absurd. The bipartisan immigration deal that was struck before it was killed by Donald Trump and JD Vance when he was running for president in 2024 would have made new investments in our border security. It would have created *** pathway to legal status for people who are in this country. Um, but who have not committed violent crimes, um, and it would have made, uh, investments in our courts to make sure that we can do that in *** legal way, um, and do it, uh, quickly, uh, that path to legal status has to include paying back taxes if there are any, paying the penalty, learning English, um, ensuring that folks go through the process so that they can be vetted and we can answer. Of those outstanding questions that is *** common sense approach that is supported by the vast majority of Iowans. We have been amended to 73 counties and climbing all over the state, small towns, big cities, rural communities. Iowans understand that immigrants play an incredibly important role in our present and in our future. Uh, it is important for us to know that when we talk about how we grow small town and rural Iowa, *** lot of the folks who are moving to these communities are immigrants who want to live in *** smaller town or more rural area. Um, there are things that we can do to make Iowa more welcoming. That is who we’ve been as *** state for decades, going back to Governor Bob Ray and even further. And that is the tradition that I will carry forward as Iowa’s next United States senator. The other question I want to ask you about is, is agriculture obviously very important to our state. We’re hearing from Iowa farmers that they’re facing high costs. They’re facing trade uncertainty. They’re facing consolidation. What do you think as we look? To *** new farm bill that is kind of on its way through Congress right now, what do you think is the single most important policy that needs to be in that legislation? So I mean, I would tell you for the last 50 years there have been decisions made in Washington DC that have not been good for Iowa. Uh, for 50 years, uh, leaders in both parties have pushed an agenda of get big or get out that has contributed to consolidation on the agricultural industry side. It has led to the loss of Iowa farms. Uh, farm price of farmland is, you know, at near record highs. Um, we, I talked to so many young farmers. I was just actually visiting. Um, so when I was first elected in 2018, my district included, uh, all of Cedar County, some of Muscatine County, very rural areas, represent *** lot of farmers. I was just visiting with *** friend of mine, uh, Noah, who farms in Cedar County, and we were just talking about some of the challenges that he’s facing on his farm. And it’s *** lot of what you just said. Um, it’s the cost of land access, it’s the consolidation. It’s the fact that you have this trade uncertainty, um, and from my perspective in *** farm bill, it has to work for Iowa rather than Iowa farmers just essentially being forced to work for the big corporations that are doing really well while so many Iowa farmers are struggling. We already talked *** little bit about the need to end the tariff madness that has been really bad for, um, our entire state and especially for our ag economy. Um, I wanna make sure that we focus on the land access issue. Um, you mentioned JD Vance. I mean, JD Vance literally invested in *** company to help folks on Wall Street buy Iowa farmland and take it out of ownership from Iowa hands. That’s wrong. Uh, that is not something that I think should be allowed, uh, as Iowa’s next United States senator. I think that Iowa farmland should remain in the hands of Iowans, and we need to make sure that we’re getting the right investments to clean up our water, with *** new approach to conservation because the current approach has clearly failed us, uh, and it’s time for *** new direction that will actually end this water quality crisis and help us get *** handle on this cancer crisis that is gripping the state. Turning the page to talk *** little bit more about, you know, the makeup and how things actually work in the US Senate. If you were elected, how would you decide when to support your party leadership in Washington and when to push back? Well, I can tell you this I’ll never vote for *** Senate Democratic leader who has ever said on the record that our party should write off rural and blue collar voters. Uh, last night Representative Turek had the opportunity to give the same answer, and he declined to do so. And Amanda, that is exactly why now more than $6.7 million of dark money from *** DC super PAC has flooded into our state. Senator Schumer is trying to buy this election because he wants *** nominee whose vote he can count on to remain as the leader. He knows that he can’t count on mine because I’m never gonna vote for *** Democratic leader who wants to write off rural and blue collar voters. That’s not the Democratic Party that I believe in. This is the party in my view that fights for everybody who needs *** champion doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from. That’s the Democratic Party that I grew up in this the Democratic Party that I wanna fight for. I’d like to see somebody who understands the Midwestern. Uh, economy, the ag economy, we’ve talked about *** little bit, like common sense, uh, I think someone like Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin, um, who I think has done *** really good job representing *** battleground state, uh, being able to work, uh, in *** bipartisan way while also being, uh, able to fight for the, the values that she holds, and that’s someone who I’d be interested in talking with about it. Let’s also talk about electability because the reality is uh there hasn’t been *** Democrat who’s successfully been able to flip *** US Senate seat in Iowa I believe since 2008, you know, Republicans have *** voter, you know, registration advantage here. So what is it about you that makes you the strongest candidate? Democratic voters are looking for someone they believe can actually do it this year. Why is it you? You know, some Iowans, um, might remember when I was *** young man, I gave *** short speech defending my family in front of the Iowa legislature. Uh, it’s not something that I ever wanted to do or expected I would find myself doing, um, but the courage, um, that I learned from my parents and that I brought to that work is something that I’ve carried with me through my entire time in the Iowa legislature. I have run and won elections in small town and rural areas. I’m the only Democratic candidate who’s currently seeking the nomination to have done so. Um, I understand the issues that are facing *** lot of Iowa families because I’ve represented them. I’ve fought for them. Um, I have spent *** lot of time with them when they’ve been, uh, through some really, really challenging times and so, uh, we have *** message that I know is resonating when we talk about building an economy that works for us, when we talk about taking on the corruption in Washington DC, we talk about our new vision for small town in rural Iowa. It is resonating with people. That’s why I’ve been able. To win the endorsement of 25 labor unions all over Iowa. That’s why I’ve won 150 community endorsements from not just Democrats but independents and even some Republicans from big cities, small towns, and rural communities. They’re resonating with our message, with our vision for the future, our willingness to speak truth to power, and that’s how we’re gonna win. Now, last question for you in 30 seconds or less, why should Iowa voters vote for you? During my time in the Iowa Senate, I’ve been *** fearless fighter for the people who need *** champion. That’s because growing up I learned at an early age what it feels like to feel scared and to want someone who’s in your corner. And as an Iowa state senator, I’ve always been willing to be that champion. I’ve been able to work in *** bipartisan way. I’ve been able to fight for my values. And never stop believing that our best days are ahead of us. I know that when we win this election in November, I will work with anyone to do what’s right for Iowa, and I will stand up to anyone in either party to protect our state from people who want to do us harm. Zach Wells, thank you so much for making time. We appreciate it. Thanks, Amanda.

Iowa politics: KCCI’s full interview with Zach Wahls, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate

KCCI sat down with Zach Wahls to ask where he stands on affordability, health care, immigration, agriculture, party leadership and electability. Wahls and Josh Turek are competing for the Democratic nomination in Iowa’s open U.S. Senate race.

Updated: 1:18 PM CDT May 13, 2026

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With just weeks until Iowa’s June 2nd primary, Josh Turek and Zach Wahls are competing for the Democratic nomination in Iowa’s open U.S. Senate race.The race carries high stakes for Iowa Democrats. The party has not flipped a U.S. Senate seat in Iowa since 2008, and Republicans still hold a significant voter registration advantage. But with no incumbent on the ballot, Democrats see an opening this cycle — and believe their message on the economy could resonate with voters facing rising costs.Republican Sen. Joni Ernst decided not to seek reelection in 2026, creating a wide-open race to fill her seat. U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and former state lawmaker Jim Carlin are competing for the Republican nomination, and the winner will face either Wahls or Turek in November. KCCI sat down with Zach Wahls to ask where he stands on affordability, health care, immigration, agriculture, party leadership and electability.Wahls, a state senator from Coralville, said he is focused on lowering costs, protecting health care access and taking on corporate power. He also pointed to his labor endorsements and support from Democrats, independents and some Republicans as part of his case that he can build a coalition to win in November. Watch KCCI’s full interview with Wahls above.

With just weeks until Iowa’s June 2nd primary, Josh Turek and Zach Wahls are competing for the Democratic nomination in Iowa’s open U.S. Senate race.

The race carries high stakes for Iowa Democrats. The party has not flipped a U.S. Senate seat in Iowa since 2008, and Republicans still hold a significant voter registration advantage. But with no incumbent on the ballot, Democrats see an opening this cycle — and believe their message on the economy could resonate with voters facing rising costs.

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst decided not to seek reelection in 2026, creating a wide-open race to fill her seat. U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and former state lawmaker Jim Carlin are competing for the Republican nomination, and the winner will face either Wahls or Turek in November.

KCCI sat down with Zach Wahls to ask where he stands on affordability, health care, immigration, agriculture, party leadership and electability.

Wahls, a state senator from Coralville, said he is focused on lowering costs, protecting health care access and taking on corporate power. He also pointed to his labor endorsements and support from Democrats, independents and some Republicans as part of his case that he can build a coalition to win in November.

Watch KCCI’s full interview with Wahls above.