First Democrat Exits Iowa Senate Race

Lack of funds forces Nathan Sage to end campaign, leaving two other Democrats in primary

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Nathan Sage, the first Democrat to announce a bid for Iowa's U.S. Senate seat, has ended his campaign due to an inability to raise the necessary financial resources to remain viable. Sage, a native of Mason City who served in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps and previously worked in radio and as a chamber of commerce director, cited the high costs of competing in today's political environment as the reason for his departure. With Sage's exit, State Senator Zach Wahls and State Representative Josh Turek are now the only remaining Democratic candidates in the primary race.

Why it matters

Sage's withdrawal from the race narrows the Democratic field for the Iowa Senate seat, which is seen as a key battleground in the upcoming election cycle. The ability to raise substantial funds has become an increasingly important factor in modern political campaigns, and Sage's inability to do so highlights the challenges facing grassroots candidates.

The details

In a video posted to social media, Sage announced the end of his campaign, stating that 'as a true grassroots campaign, we simply were unable to raise the financial resources necessary to keep this campaign viable.' He noted that '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.'

  • Sage announced the end of his campaign on February 16, 2026.

The players

Nathan Sage

The first Democrat to announce a bid for Iowa's U.S. Senate seat, Sage is a native of Mason City who served in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, worked in radio, and previously served as the director of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce.

Zach Wahls

A State Senator who remains a candidate in the Democratic primary for Iowa's U.S. Senate seat.

Josh Turek

A State Representative who remains a candidate in the Democratic primary for Iowa's U.S. Senate seat.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Nathan Sage (Video posted to social media)

The takeaway

Sage's withdrawal from the Iowa Senate race highlights the increasing importance of fundraising in modern political campaigns, as well as the challenges facing grassroots candidates who lack the resources to effectively communicate their message and reach voters across the state.