Democratic Iowa hopeful defends locker-room stance amid past Senate votes
Congressional candidate Sarah Trone Garriott says she opposes men in women’s locker rooms, but her earlier Iowa Senate votes on bathroom and sports rules appear at odds with that claim.
Sarah Trone Garriott, the Democratic nominee for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, told voters she opposes men entering women’s locker rooms, framing the issue as a matter of child safety. Critics point to her voting history in the Iowa Senate, where she voted against a 2022 bill that set sports team eligibility by biological sex and a 2023 measure that barred students from using bathrooms that do not match their biological sex.
Vice President J.D. Vance highlighted those votes in a rally for Republican incumbent Zach Nunn, portraying Garriott as supporting “radical” policies. Garriott’s campaign spokesperson Zach Schenkman reiterated her current position, but the campaign has not addressed how her prior votes align with her present messaging.
A Republican National Committee spokesperson Zach Kraft labeled her past record as “woke” and politically untenable. The contest will decide the seat in the November 3 general election, where Garriott hopes to unseat Nunn, who won re-election with 51.8% of the vote in 2024.
Why it matters
Voters must assess whether a candidate’s current positions match her legislative record as the race could flip a competitive House seat.
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