Biography
Anthony Thompson, also known as Tony, is the Democratic candidate for Iowa State Senate District 23 in the November 3, 2026 general election, running against Republican Wes Enos.[1] In a Ballotpedia survey, he described himself as a fourth-generation Iowa farmer, small business owner and former data scientist.[2]
Anthony Thompson was born in Des Moines, graduated from North Polk High School, and earned a bachelor's degree from Cornell College in 2000 and a Ph.D. from the Blekinge Institute of Technology in 2012, according to Ballotpedia.[1] In a 2024 survey he said he was raised on the family's century farm near Elkhart.[3] In the 2026 survey, Thompson said he previously worked in agricultural finance and data science and earlier managed the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Des Moines.[2] He said his family operates Prudent Produce, a local food hub that connects Iowa families with local farmers.[2]
Thompson was the Democratic nominee for Iowa House District 45 in 2024, when incumbent Brian Lohse defeated him, according to Ballotpedia.[1] In 2026 he advanced unopposed from the Democratic primary.[1] He named agriculture and conservation, public education, and business and the economy as policy areas he is passionate about, and said communities should have local control where possible.[2]
- 1.Anthony Thompson · Ballotpedia Reference
- 2.Anthony Thompson - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey (2026) · Ballotpedia Candidate's own words
- 3.Anthony Thompson - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey (2024) · Ballotpedia Candidate's own words
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.
Iowa Senate District 23
Anthony Thompson is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Iowa Senate District 23 as D. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.