Democrat Nathan Sage ends U.S. Senate campaign

Democrat Nathan Sage ended his campaign for U.S. Senate Sunday, citing fundraising difficulties.

Sage, former executive director of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, was the first Democrat to enter the 2026 race for U.S. Senate — announcing his campaign in April 2025 before U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst had announced she would not seek reelection. Sage was the only Democratic candidate in the race when Ernst made a controversial comment at a May town hall, saying “we all are going to die,” when a member of the crowd yelled that people will die due to GOP-supported Medicaid cuts.

On the campaign trail, Sage spoke about his experience growing up in a trailer park in Mason City and serving in the military. He called for Iowans who were looking for a nontraditional, anti-establishment politician to back him in the race.

“I did not step into this race lightly, and I do not step away lightly,” Sage said in a statement announcing the end of his campaign.

He thanked volunteers, donors and supporters. However, he said his decision to end the 2026 bid was because he lacked funds.

“I have always been honest about the impact of money in my personal story, but that reality is even more undeniable when running for office,” Sage said. “As a true grassroots campaign, we simply were unable to raise the financial resources necessary to keep this campaign viable. In today’s political environment, it takes extraordinary sums of money to compete, to communicate, to travel the state, and to ensure our message reaches voters. Too often, that system favors those with wealth, powerful connections, and established influence.”

In Sage’s first Federal Election Commission fundraising period, from April 1 through June 30, 2025, he led in fundraising with $709,000, though he was followed by state Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, who raised than $656,000 in the period after launching his campaign in June. But in subsequent reporting periods, Sage fell behind Wahls and state Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, who announced his run in August. In FEC filings for the final reporting period of 2025, Sage reported raising $229,929, while Wahls raised $742,294 and Turek, $677,806.

Sage, who made affordability and support for working-class Iowans central to his campaign, said he started his campaign because he believes “working people deserve a voice in Washington that is not controlled by special interests or corporate power.” He said the decision to end his campaign was “painful” because families across the country are still struggling with lower wages and rising costs.

“While this campaign may be ending, my commitment to this fight is not,” Sage said. “I am not done speaking truth to power and holding Republicans, and even Democrats, accountable. I will continue fighting for working class people and pushing for elected leaders and a government that truly listens to and fights for our voices in Washington.”

Sage did not make an endorsement in the primary. Wahls and Turek both issued statements Sunday thanking Sage for his contributions to the race. Wahls said he admired Sage’s courage “to speak truth to power, take on corrupt corporate interests, challenge the broken political status quo, and push this race to be about real life for real people.”

“Nathan’s also right about the bigger point: if Democrats want working-class Iowans to trust us again, we have to earn back that trust by showing up and actually making Iowans’ lives better,” Wahls said in a statement. “Right now, wages aren’t keeping up. Grocery bills keep climbing. Health care is way too expensive – or unobtainable altogether. Retirement feels less secure and further out of reach. These are the problems Nathan talked about on the campaign trail, and these are the problems Democrats must address if we’re going to win this election.”

Turek said it was “an honor” to become Sage’s friend over the course of the campaign, and said he knows Sage “will continue fighting for the people, because that is who he is.”

“Nathan has run a campaign that puts working people first,” Turek said. “As someone who also grew up in a working class family, I deeply admire his grit and determination in making sure Iowans feel heard. He has put in the work to hear from Iowans in every corner of this state, and Democrats are better for it.”

National Republican Senatorial Committee Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell said Sage’s announcement showed that Wahls has support from “progressive” Democrats in Iowa.

“Looks like Nathan Sage finally saw the writing on the wall: Radical Zach Wahls has won over Democrats’ progressive base and catapulted to the lead in Iowa’s messy primary,” Cantrell said in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson is the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. Iowa’s primary elections are scheduled for June 2.