Iowa Dem Candidate Cites 9/11 in Defending Muslim Prayer in State Senate

Sarah Trone Garriott says the 2001 attacks made her more aware of 'anti-Muslim bigotry'.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 2:38am

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A photorealistic painting of the Iowa state capitol building, with a lone figure standing at the entrance. The building is bathed in warm, golden light, creating a sense of solemnity and contemplation.The Iowa state capitol building stands as a silent witness to the ongoing debates around religious representation and diversity in the state's political institutions.Des Moines Today

Iowa Democratic congressional candidate Sarah Trone Garriott, a Lutheran minister, wrote that the September 11 attacks made her more aware of 'anti-Muslim bigotry' after she faced criticism for reading a Muslim prayer in the Iowa Senate in 2021. Trone Garriott, who is running against Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, defended the decision by saying Christian voices had been 'overwhelmingly represented' in the chamber and that her prayer was intended to reflect religious diversity.

Why it matters

Trone Garriott's comments about 9/11 and anti-Muslim bigotry have sparked controversy, with a Republican National Committee spokesman accusing her of 'pandering to coastal elite Democrat Party bosses by insulting Iowa values.' The incident highlights ongoing debates around religious representation and diversity in state legislatures.

The details

In a 2021 op-ed, Trone Garriott wrote that after the prayer, she received messages referencing 'Sharia law,' Islam as a 'violent religion,' and claims that the United States is a 'Judeo-Christian country' where Muslim prayers were unwelcome. She said her experience beginning a master's degree at Harvard University immediately after 9/11 made her 'more aware of the rising anti-Muslim bigotry and its harm.'

  • Trone Garriott read the Muslim prayer in the Iowa Senate in 2021.
  • Trone Garriott published the op-ed defending her decision after facing criticism.

The players

Sarah Trone Garriott

An Iowa Democratic congressional candidate and Lutheran minister who is running against Republican Rep. Zach Nunn.

Zach Kraft

A Republican National Committee spokesman who criticized Trone Garriott's comments about 9/11 and anti-Muslim bigotry.

Zach Nunn

The Republican congressman that Trone Garriott is running against in Iowa's Third Congressional District.

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What they’re saying

“Sarah Trone Garriott should be ashamed for wagging her finger at America for not being woke enough about 9/11 and completely ignoring the more than 2,000 patriots tragically killed that day. There is truly no floor to how low Trone Garriott will stoop to pander to coastal elite Democrat Party bosses by insulting Iowa values.”

— Zach Kraft, Republican National Committee spokesman

The takeaway

Trone Garriott's comments about 9/11 and anti-Muslim bigotry have sparked a heated debate, highlighting the ongoing tensions around religious representation and diversity in state legislatures. The incident underscores the challenges political candidates face in navigating complex issues of faith, identity, and community.