Republican Zach Nunn won his party’s primary for Iowa’s Third Congressional District and will face off against vulnerable Rep. Cindy Axne, the state’s lone congressional Democrat, in November.
Associated Press called the race for Nunn at 10:15 p.m. ET. The now-Republican nominee ran against Nicole Hasso and Garry Leffler in the primary.
Nunn has been a U.S. Air Force officer and Iowa state Senator for the Fifteenth district since 2019. He has already made it clear he is ready to win in November against Axne – a vulnerable Democrat national Republicans are looking at as an easy pickup seat.
The Republican nominee walks into the general election race against Axne with $223,290 cash on hand, while the Democrat has $2,840,312.25 cash on hand, according to their respective FEC reports. Additionally, the non-partisan Cook Political Report rated the congressional district as a “toss-up,” meaning it could go either way.
In November, during an appearance on Breitbart News Saturday, Nunn claimed Axne is only loyal to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and not Iowans. Nunn explained that he is “excited to go after one of Nancy Pelosi’s most loyal liberal vote givers” but wished Axne “could be as loyal to Iowa as she is to the Speaker.”
At the time, he claimed to have a track record of winning and unseating Democrats in the process and noted that his eyes were now set on Congress and flipping Axne’s third district seat. Before his congressional bid, he flipped a state House seat and a state Senate seat from Democrats and was able to turn red seats that Democrats had held for 60 years.
Nunn said, “We have a track record of success, we’ve been able to raise money, but most importantly, we’re fighting for those kinds of key principles that, you know — Donald Trump talked about — standing up to countries like China, being able to be hard on folks who just want to cave to the woke left.”
Republicans rejoiced over the Nunn’s win.
“It’s a bad day to be Cindy Axne,” Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said. “While she stood by Joe Biden during the botched exit of Afghanistan, Zach Nunn worked to get Americans and our allies out.”
Kaufmann added:
Iowans want action, they’re sick of Axne’s kowtowing to Nancy Pelosi and how she’s carried out Joe Biden’s disastrous agenda.
Iowans are over two-faced Cindy Axne. She says one thing while she’s in Iowa and goes to DC and votes 100 percent of the time with Nancy Pelosi. While Joe Biden has completely destroyed our strong economy, Cindy Axne has been right by his side. She’s been his biggest cheerleader as their policies have left mother’s hunting for formula for their babies, Iowans struggling to fill their gas tanks and record-breaking inflation.
This race will be watched by the entire country, it will determine which party controls the U.S. House. I am committed to doing everything in my power to make sure Zach Nunn wins in November and I know Iowans will join me.
In congratulations to Nunn, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) said it was an “impressive primary victory.”
“Zach’s record of service offers a perfect contrast to Cindy Axne’s corrupt record of illegally failing to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock trades,” Emmer noted. “Additionally, Axne’s support for Joe Biden’s failed policies has left Iowans paying record prices for gas and groceries.”
Dan Conston, the president of Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC endorsed by the House Republican leadership, added, “Cindy Axne is painfully liberal and far too radical for Iowa on every issue. I have no doubt Iowans will send Zach Nunn to Congress in November.”
Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jbliss@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter @JacobMBliss.
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