On Saturday, Iowa candidates running for Congress and state office participated in a candidate forum in Davenport, where they discussed the critical issues facing Iowa, including water pollution, agricultural consolidation, property rights, the expansion of AI data centers, health care and education.

Approximately 70 Iowans packed the room for the forum, which was hosted by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund and Food & Water Action. The event featured U.S. Senate Democratic Candidate Zach Wahls, U.S. House IA-01 Candidate Travis Terrell and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Candidate Chris Jones. All federal and statewide candidates were invited.   

Wahls and Terrell touted directing public dollars to public schools, with Wahls calling for the state to end its school voucher program that has funneled millions of taxpayer dollars into private schools. Both candidates talked about ripping democracy from the hands of Trump and others in charge and ensuring free and fair elections.

A majority of audience questions were directed to Jones, asking how the state should address the water crisis it’s facing, as well as how Iowa can rebuild its agricultural system and protect the state’s water, soil and air from big agriculture. 

The forum comes in the midst of several crises facing voters before the November election, including an industrial agriculture-driven water pollution crisis, linked to Iowa’s high and rising cancer rates. A recent statewide poll conducted by Global Strategy Group on behalf of Food & Water Action, found that 82% of Iowa voters would be more likely to vote for an elected official who makes it a top priority to protect clean water, including cutting industrial agriculture pollution. This includes 72% of Republicans and 92% of Democrats. 

Mac Beamer, Food & Water Action Iowa Organizer said:

“Dozens of Iowans packed a room today to hear from candidates about the most pressing issues facing our state. Topping that list is Iowa’s worsening water quality and the public health crisis it is driving. Iowa voters are ready for real action to hold factory farm polluters accountable and clean up our waterways.”

Susan Meenan, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund Member said: “We need to elect candidates who will lead the fight for common sense solutions to the multiple crises facing our state. And the first step in doing that is listening to voters like me, who are personally touched by bad policies. One of those policies is the state’s new school voucher program that funnels millions of taxpayer dollars to private schools. Myself and all of my siblings went to private schools growing up, except for my sister, who needed special education. She had to go to public school. Our public schools take anyone regardless of their needs and yet we continue to starve them of funding, forcing districts to a tipping point. We need candidates who will repeal the vouchers and fully fund our public schools, which are the backbone of our communities.”