Republicans target Iowa Libertarian candidates, urging them to drop out of congressional races

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) — Two Iowa Libertarian congressional candidates say Trump administration officials have asked them to drop out of their races, the second time this month Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been accused of making that request.

Republicans worry Libertarian candidates could pull away just enough right-leaning voters to make the difference in a close race. Some Republicans have argued that dynamic played out in 2018, when Democrat Cindy Axne narrowly defeated Republican David Young in Iowa’s Third District, saying the Libertarian candidate may have taken enough votes to change the outcome.

With Republicans trying to hold onto a narrow majority in the U.S. House, Libertarian candidates have become a target for Republicans hoping to avoid another close election.

The Libertarian Party of Iowa Chair Stephanie Berlin released the recording of a call where Sec. Kennedy encouraged Stewart to end his campaign when running for president in 2024.

In the call, Kennedy said he made what he described as a pragmatic choice to leave his own independent campaign.

“I’m not saying this is going to fix the country, because it’s not. The two-party system is broken. That’s why I ran as an independent. But at some point, I made a pragmatic choice that I’d be more effective doing this than completing my election. So it’s the same question for you,” Kennedy said.

Libertarian congressional candidate Marco Battaglia also says Kennedy asked him to drop out.

Stewart said the pressure reflects a deeper problem with the political system.

“I guarantee that the Republicans and the Democrats are frightened to death about the idea of a third party that is an alternative. They have driven politics into the ground,” Stewart said.

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Isabella Warren covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email her at isabella.warren@kcrg.com; and follow her on Facebook at Isabella Warren TV on X/Twitter@isabellaw_gray, and on Instagram@IsabellaWarrenTV.