Dave Bushaw Makes History in Iowa as the First 'No Party' US Congressional Candidate to Qualify for Ballot Access in Decades

Our newsroom runs on more than coffee and craft beer — it runs on you. Support Decorah News' local reporting today. DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowan from Fayette County and independent candidate for U.S. Congress, was joined by supporters and family members as he climbed the steps of the Iowa Secretary of State's Office in Des Moines to submit signatures required for ballot access, qualifying him as a no-party candidate in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District race. Bushaw said state election officials informed his campaign Tuesday that his affidavit of candidacy and ballot access signatures had been accepted. He will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot as a no-party candidate. Bushaw submitted 2,615 qualifying signatures, more than 150% of the total required for ballot access. Candidates were required to submit at least 1,726 signatures and collect a minimum of 47 signatures from at least half of the district's 22 counties. "I was the last one to sign," Bushaw said. "I wanted to make sure I could earn the trust and support of working-class folks across my district first. I'm humbled that so many people believe in me and our message." Bushaw, a longtime community organizer, and his supporters exceeded the minimum requirements, collecting more than 200% of the required totals in all 22 counties. His top-performing counties were Black Hawk at 302%, Dubuque at 321% and his home county of Fayette at 460%. "I'm from rural Iowa, born and raised," Bushaw said. "I know how it feels to be left out of big decisions, especially when it comes to decisions made in Washington. We weren't going to let a single county feel like they didn't play a part in getting us on the ballot in November." "Worth County has about 7,000 residents in the entire county. We reached 238% there and had two events in Fertile that drew dozens of interested people." Bushaw also noted that he will be the only lifelong northeast Iowan on the ballot in November. Democratic candidate Lindsay James spent much of her life in California and Massachusetts before moving to Dubuque in 2015. James was elected to the Iowa House in 2018. Republican nominee Joe Mitchell served in the Iowa House as recently as 2023 while representing Henry County in Iowa's 1st Congressional District. He recently relocated to Clear Lake in Cerro Gordo County, which is within the 2nd Congressional District. During a follow-up news conference, Bushaw discussed his vision for the campaign. "We set out with a goal to answer a question: Can a working-class candidate, with no party machine to gather ballot access signatures and no major funding to hire petition circulators, build the necessary grassroots infrastructure and meet the requirements to qualify for the ballot? We have an answer today, and that answer is a resounding yes." Bushaw said he intends to continue building his campaign through the summer and fall by attending parades and county fairs, knocking on doors, hosting events, training volunteers and fundraising. "What we're building right here in Iowa is a roadmap for the working class all across this country to fight back against a corrupt two-party system that fulfills every desire of billionaire interests while working people struggle to make basic ends meet. Enough is enough." "My message to the two parties and the ruling elite is simple: We are the working class — expect us." For more information about the campaign, visit davebushaw.com. Stay connected and informed! Join the free newsletter for curated news, trending topics, and insider perspectives you won't find anywhere else.