Lindsay James wins in Iowa, turning Hinson’s House seat blue

Iowa state Rep. Lindsay James (D) is projected to defeat Republican Joe Mitchell in the state’s 2nd Congressional District , according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

James’s victory turns a Republican-held seat blue after Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) opted to run for Senate, giving Democrats a pickup in their fight for control of the House.

The result comes as voters grew frustrated over rising gas prices tied to the ongoing Iran war and President Trump’s handling of the economy .

DDHQ’s preelection forecast rated the race a toss-up, giving Mitchell a 53 percent chance of winning compared to James’s 47 percent.

James, a Presbyterian pastor from Dubuque, campaigned heavily on affordability, arguing that Trump’s tariffs and the GOP’s sweeping tax and spending law were squeezing families in the Hawkeye State.

Mitchell, a former Iowa state lawmaker and Trump administration housing official, pitched lower taxes and his experience as a housing developer as solutions to rising costs.

The Democrat’s victory marks a notable shift in a state that has moved sharply toward Republicans over the past decade, giving her party a foothold in northeastern Iowa.

Her win comes in a district the president, who backed her rival, carried by roughly 10 percentage points in 2024.