U.S. House · Iowa's 2nd District
Northeast Iowa, including Dubuque, Cedar Rapids-area suburbs, and Decorah
General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED
Lindsay James, projected winner
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Lindsay James | 171,519 | 49.5% |
| Joe Mitchell | 157,727 | 45.6% |
| Rick Stewart | 9,500 | 2.7% |
| Dave Bushaw | 7,470 | 2.2% |
About 99% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗
Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research
- This is an open seat: incumbent Ashley Hinson (R) is running for U.S. Senate instead of re-election. Lindsay James (D), a member of the Iowa House of Representatives, defeated Kathryn Dolter and Clint Twedt-Ball in the June 2, 2026 Democratic primary. Joe Mitchell (R), a former Iowa state representative, defeated Charlie McClintock in the June 2, 2026 Republican primary. Rick Stewart (Libertarian) and Dave Bushaw (Independent) are also on the general-election ballot.[1][2]
On the November 3 ballot · 4 candidates
Issue evidence — side by side
Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.
Protect legal access to abortion
Stricter gun laws
- Lindsay JamesSupports[11]
Campaign website calls for closing loopholes, mandating background checks, red flag laws and an assault weapons ban.
- Joe MitchellRecorded votes[7]
Voted yes on HF 756 (removing the permit requirement to carry a handgun), which passed the Iowa House 60-37 on 2021-03-17.
- Rick Stewart—
- Dave Bushaw—
Expand immigration enforcement and deportations
- Lindsay James—
- Joe MitchellSupports[3]
Mitchell's campaign site calls the situation at the border a national security risk and emphasizes secure borders and lawful immigration.
- Rick Stewart—
- Dave BushawIn their own words[16]
“We need strong borders if we’re going to continue the experiment of being the nation of America”
Per Iowa Public Radio, Nov. 12, 2025
Loosen zoning rules to build more housing
- Lindsay JamesSupports[12]
Campaign website calls for cutting red tape so more homes can be built.
- Joe Mitchell—
- Rick Stewart—
- Dave Bushaw—
Raise taxes on high earners or corporations
- Lindsay JamesSupports[12]
Campaign website says increased child tax credit investments should be financed by the ultra-wealthy and large corporations paying more.
- Joe MitchellRecorded votes[8]
Voted yes on HF 2317 (replacing Iowa's graduated income tax with a 3.9% flat tax), which passed the Iowa House 61-37 on 2022-02-16.
- Rick StewartOpposes[4]
In his 2022 Candidate Connection survey, Stewart said efforts to raise taxes on the wealthy don't work because they can hire lawyers and lobbyists to avoid the burden instead.
- Dave Bushaw—
Expand public health coverage
Faster transition away from fossil fuels
- Lindsay James—
- Joe Mitchell—
- Rick StewartIn their own words[14]
“When you put a tax on carbon, all of the people who are producing carbon, they start looking for waste to use less carbon because it costs more.”
Interview with KCRG, Oct. 14, 2026
- Dave Bushaw—
Increase police funding and staffing
- Lindsay James—
- Joe MitchellSupports[3]
Mitchell's campaign site says he will "support and fund the police while working for practical reform."
- Rick Stewart—
- Dave Bushaw—
Public funding for school choice (vouchers / charters)
- Lindsay James—
- Joe MitchellSupports[3]
Mitchell's campaign site lists support for school choice among his education positions.
- Rick Stewart—
- Dave Bushaw—
Continue U.S. military aid to Israel
- Lindsay James—
- Joe Mitchell—
- Rick Stewart—
- Dave BushawIn their own words[15]
“If they want to spend their own money waging conflicts in the Middle East and making enemies out of everybody, that’s on them.”
At a campaign stop in Tama, per the Tama-Toledo News Chronicle (Oct. 2026), in comments about Israel
Broad tariffs on imported goods
- Lindsay James—
- Joe Mitchell—
- Rick Stewart—
- Dave BushawIn their own words[16]
“I’m not anti-tariff, but I do believe that if we are going to have a robust tariff system, it needs to be coupled with infrastructure building incentives in the manufacturing industry.”
Per Iowa Public Radio, Nov. 12, 2025
Research notes & limits
Lindsay James's campaign website was under construction at the time of research, so no candidate-sourced priorities or issue positions could be documented for her beyond her state legislative committee record; only Ballotpedia background was available. Joe Mitchell's Ballotpedia page has no narrative biography, so his background draws on Wikipedia and news profiles. Biography gaps: no 2026 campaign website content was found for Lindsay James, Rick Stewart, or Dave Bushaw beyond Ballotpedia, and Mitchell's campaign site has no Meet Joe subpage content that could be fetched; Stewart's career details come from his own 2020 survey responses.
Sources · 35
Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.
- 1.United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 2.Lindsay James · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 3.Joe Mitchell for Congress · Joe Mitchell for Congress (campaign site) · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
- 4.Rick Stewart · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 5.Joe Mitchell (Iowa) · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 6.Dave Bushaw (Candidate Connection survey responses) · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
- 7.Journal of the House, 66th Day, March 17, 2021 (HF 756 roll call) · Iowa Legislature · 2021-03-17 Official record
- 8.Journal of the House, 38th Day, February 16, 2022 (HF 2317 roll call) · Iowa Legislature · 2022-02-16 Official record
- 9.Journal of the House, 45th Day, February 24, 2021 (SF 413 roll call) · Iowa Legislature · 2021-02-24 Official record
- 10.Lindsay James for Iowa: issues · Lindsay James for Iowa campaign website Candidate's own words
- 11.Lindsay James for Iowa: issues · Lindsay James for Iowa campaign website Candidate's own words
- 12.Lindsay James for Iowa: issues · Lindsay James for Iowa campaign website Candidate's own words
- 13.Libertarian wants to repeal income tax, welfare programs, immigration policy · Iowa Capital Dispatch · 2026-08-15 News report
- 14.Libertarian Rick Stewart runs for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District · KCRG · 2026-10-14 News report
- 15.Bushaw makes independent pitch during Tama campaign stop · Tama-Toledo News Chronicle · 2026-10-02 News report
- 16.Independent candidate Dave Bushaw enters 2nd District race · Iowa Public Radio · 2025-11-12 News report
- 17.Lindsay James · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 18.Lindsay James (politician) · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 19.United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 20.James is the latest Democrat to enter the race to take on Ashley Hinson in 2026 · Little Village News report
- 21.Iowa's 2nd District U.S. House election results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 22.Joe Mitchell (Iowa) · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 23.Joe Mitchell (politician) · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 24.Joe Mitchell launches campaign for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District · KCRG · 2025-09-08 News report
- 25.Joe Mitchell for Congress · Joe Mitchell for Congress (campaign site) · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
- 26.Republican Joe Mitchell launches campaign to represent Iowa's 2nd Congressional District · Iowa Public Radio · 2025-09-08 News report
- 27.U.S. House, Iowa's 2nd District results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 28.Rick Stewart · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 29.Libertarian wants to repeal income tax, welfare programs, immigration policy · Iowa Capital Dispatch News report
- 30.U.S. House, Iowa's 2nd District results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 31.Dave Bushaw (Candidate Connection survey responses) · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
- 32.Independent candidate Dave Bushaw enters 2nd District race · Iowa Public Radio · 2025-11-12 News report
- 33.Independent candidate Dave Bushaw joins Iowa 2nd Congressional District race · KCRG (Iowa Capital Dispatch) · 2025-11-12 News report
- 34.Dave Bushaw · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 35.U.S. House, Iowa's 2nd District results 2026 · NBC News News report