Iowa Democrat Sage suspends campaign for U.S. Senate

Sage's exit leaves 2 Democrats — state legislators Zach Wahls and Josh Turek — vying for the party's nomination in Iowa's open-seat U.S. Senate election

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Nathan Sage, a Democrat from Indianola, is suspending his campaign in Iowa's open-seat U.S. Senate election, his campaign announced Sunday. Sage's exit leaves two Iowa Democrats — state legislators Zach Wahls of Coralville and Josh Turek of Council Bluffs — campaigning for their party's nomination.

Why it matters

Sage was the first Democrat to officially declare his candidacy for Iowa's 2026 U.S. Senate election, and his withdrawal leaves the Democratic primary race down to two candidates. The open-seat election is seen as a likely Republican pickup, so the Democratic nominee will face an uphill battle in the general election.

The details

In a campaign press release, Sage said his decision to withdraw from the campaign was 'incredibly difficult' and made after 'thoughtful conversations with my family, my team and my trusted supporters.' Sage, a former Knoxville Chamber of Commerce leader, sports radio director and U.S. Army and Marine Corp veteran, was running as a grassroots candidate who portrayed himself as a straightforward, unfiltered and self-deprecating speaker. Through the end of 2025, Sage had raised nearly $1.35 million for his campaign, less than the 2025 fundraising hauls for Wahls ($2 million) and Turek ($1.7 million).

  • On February 15, 2026, Sage announced he was suspending his campaign.
  • Iowa's primary election is June 2, 2026 and the general election is November 3, 2026.

The players

Nathan Sage

A Democrat from Indianola who was the first to officially declare his candidacy for Iowa's 2026 U.S. Senate election, but has now suspended his campaign.

Zach Wahls

An Iowa state legislator from Coralville who is now one of two Democrats vying for the party's nomination in the open-seat U.S. Senate election.

Josh Turek

An Iowa state legislator from Council Bluffs who is now one of two Democrats vying for the party's nomination in the open-seat U.S. Senate election.

Joni Ernst

The Republican incumbent U.S. Senator from Iowa who announced last year that she would not seek re-election to a third term.

Ashley Hinson

A Republican Congresswoman from Eastern Iowa who announced her campaign for the U.S. Senate on the same day that Joni Ernst announced she would not seek re-election.

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What they’re saying

“This has been one of the hardest decisions of my life. I did not step into this race lightly, and I do not step away lightly. I am deeply grateful to every volunteer who spent hours working for this campaign, every donor who gave what they could, every supporter who stood with us, and every Iowan who shared their hopes and frustrations with me. Your belief in this campaign has humbled me beyond words.”

— Nathan Sage, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate (Campaign press release)

“Nathan has run a campaign that puts working people first. 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. … I know that he will continue fighting for the people, because that is who he is.”

— Josh Turek, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate (Social media post)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Sage's withdrawal from the race leaves the Democratic primary down to two candidates, Zach Wahls and Josh Turek, who will now have to work to unite the party and raise the necessary funds to mount a competitive challenge against the likely Republican nominee in the general election.