Libertarian candidate for the 3rd District, Marco Battaglia, criticized GOP officials who are challenging his right to be on the November ballot in a speech to the Iowa State Fair crowd (Photo by Jack O’Connor/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Des Moines native Marco Battaglia attacked Republican efforts to remove his name from the ballot in a speech Sunday at the Des Moines Register’s Soapbox event at the Iowa State Fair.
A Libertarian candidate in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, Battaglia works as a correctional officer at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women, but also ran for Iowa attorney general in 2018 and lieutenant governor in 2022.
Those who filed petitions to keep Battaglia off the ballot argue that the 3rd District Libertarians did not hold county party conventions and therefore his name should be removed from the ballot.
Battaglia told reporters that the party met state legal requirements by holding nominating conventions where people would be divided by county. Battaglia added that those who challenge his right to vote should withdraw their challenge, but even if his challenge is successful, he will continue his campaign as a write-in candidate.
“If you want to save taxpayers money and you don’t want to waste the auditor’s time, you don’t want to waste the secretary of state’s time, you don’t want to waste the attorney general’s time, you can drop that objection and save time and money,” Battaglia said. .
Battaglia is running against incumbent Republican Rep. Zach Nunn and Democrat Lanon Baccam. Sabato’s Crystal Ballan electoral analyst, says that the 3rd District race has a Republican tendency.
Although no Libertarian candidate has won an election for federal office in Iowa, Battaglia could affect the outcome of the race. When Nunn defeated former Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne in 2022, he won by about 2,000 votes or less than 1 percentage point.
Battaglia said the Libertarian Party offers an alternative to the two main parties.
“Both parties are very strange to me,” Battaglia said. “All I care about is freedom, justice and freedom.”
For the Iowa Libertarians, the main focus of the upcoming November elections will likely be maintaining the party’s registered party status by having the Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver receive 2% of the vote for president in Iowa. According to a Des Moines Registry Poll2% of likely Iowa voters would vote for Oliver.
As a recognized party, Libertarians can participate in primary elections and have their party included as an option on voter registration forms.
“We continue to grow the party, we have grown the Libertarian Party in every cycle since 1971,” said Battaglia.
Battaglia attacked Nunn and the Republican Party’s drug use policies. If elected, he added, he would work to legalize marijuana.
“I have friends and family who use cannabis as medicine and it would be a lot easier for them to get it if the governor wasn’t here trying to reignite the war on hemp, of all things,” Battaglia said.
Battaglia joined the list of politicians at the Iowa State Fair who spoke out against eminent domain.
Battaglia also accused his Democratic opponent of not actively campaigning and called on Baccam to answer more questions about his specific policy positions.
“Where have you been, friend? I haven’t seen you anywhere yet. What do you think of ethanol? What do you think about eminent domain? What is your opinion on foreign policy?” — said Battaglia.
Battaglia is among four libertarians who have given or plan to give a speech at the Iowa State Fair. 1st District candidate Nicolau Gluba and Oliver spoke on Saturday, while 4th District candidate Charles Aldrich was scheduled to speak at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Nunn spoke on Friday, while Baccam is scheduled to speak at the Iowa State Fair on Monday at 4:30 p.m.
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