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Ian Zahren
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Ian Zahren (independent) ran for election to the Iowa House of Representatives to represent District 64. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Zahren completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Ian Zahren was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He earned a high school diploma from Clear Creek Amana High School and a bachelor's degree from Point Park University in 2010. Zahren's career experience includes working as an educator and nonprofit founder.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Iowa House of Representatives District 64
Jason Gearhart defeated Ian Zahren in the general election for Iowa House of Representatives District 64 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jason Gearhart (R) | 67.7 | 10,824 |
 | Ian Zahren (Independent)  | 32.0 | 5,114 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 45 | ||
| Total votes: 15,983 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 64
Jason Gearhart defeated Douglas Wolfe in the Republican primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 64 on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jason Gearhart | 55.0 | 1,905 |
 | Douglas Wolfe | 44.8 | 1,551 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 8 | ||
| Total votes: 3,464 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Zahren in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released June 25, 2024 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ian Zahren completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Zahren's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Ian Zahren grew up in rural Iowa, the son of small business owners and the grandson of farmers. He moved away for college and lived internationally, but he always knew he’d return to the small towns and countryside that he believes are filled with generosity and creativity. He’s put down roots in northeast Iowa, where he teaches, volunteers, and serves in local government.
As a longtime educator, Ian believes our systems need to support people. Whether it’s public schools tending to the needs of all kids, hospitals helping anyone who walks in their doors, or the government keeping its promises to citizens, our institutions are here for us. Too often, though, they’re not; the focus is on the bottom line or sticking to someone else’s agenda. What gets forgotten are everyday people and issues that can be solved through a combination of data, creativity, and compassion.
Ian is running for state representative as an Independent. Frustrated by the anger and lack of empathy clogging all levels of government, he is intent on finding solutions for and with his neighbors. Political races have never been easy—perhaps less so now than ever before. But there is also more at stake than ever before as Iowans make decisions that affect the well-being and livelihood of our farmers, small business owners, retirees, and, most importantly, our kids. Ian is ready for this challenge. He has fresh ideas that don’t make promises to any party but stay true to people like you.- Change: Iowans are increasingly frustrated with their political system, characterized by repeated elections of traditional leaders who promise improved solutions by consolidating power. The current political climate is marred by divisive party politics rather than uniting citizens from all backgrounds to find meaningful solutions. To address this, I am running as an independent for the Iowa House of Representatives, advocating for a solutions-oriented approach to governing and community advocacy.
- Clean Water: Every Iowans deserves access to clean water. We need to fund and prioritize clean water, and work to ensure all Iowans have safe drinking water. This issue is at the very heart of Iowa communities' existence. Without clean water, we can't live here, and voters know that. In 2010 63% of Iowa voters approved a constitutional amendment to support a statewide natural resource initiative. Despite that initiative, lawmakers have been unable to devise a formula to fund it. Iowa has some of the most polluted water in the country and ranks second in the country for cancer rates. Policy makers must work to devise a funding formula to ensure clean water for all Iowans.
- Support for public services: As a public teacher and former city councilor, I recognize the vital support that public services provide for our communities. From our schools to county hospitals to fire departments and police departments, our public entities are here to serve us. Sadly, policy makers have become beholden to major corporations and agendas set by people intent on tearing apart our social fabric and sewing divisions for political gain and power. Government has an obligation to ensure that our public institutions and spaces are here to support us and make investments back into our public services.
Public Education
Clean Water
Public Safety
Support for Small Businesses
Support for Small Farmers
Accessible and Affordable Healthcare
Iowans deserve a leader that is committed to showing up to solve problems with and for their neighbors. Today, more of our populations is registered as no-party or independent voters, than at any point in our history, while party affiliation has dropped to an all-time low. As party membership drops less and less people participate in the primary and policy platform making process. In essence, the people making the policy and running for office are those that are ideologically firm in their stances and engaged in politics. As the parties become more ideologically extreme, voters from both sides become disenfranchised and drop party affiliation or choose not to participate. Americans understand that our political system is not working as it once did, and this is one of the reasons. To renew our system, it is imperative that we entice citizens to run who are not bound to party ideology but are vested in listening to their constituents and working to solve problems with and for their neighbors.
I am a heart-led, data driven and solutions-oriented individual. I believe that empathy makes a leader stronger and work tirelessly to help my community; from teaching to serving on the city council to organizing community events, I believe I am a leader that always seeks to find connection and believes the in the fundamental goodness of people.
Civic servants are brought to the work because they not only see a need in society, but they are called to help their community in solving that need. Approaches may vary when it comes to problem solving, however when we choose to be tough on the problem and not the people, we ensure that our focus, energy and frustration is always on the problem and that we therefor leave personal biases and egos out of the situation. Electing citizens that are called to serve, demonstrate a successful record of service and have the ability to hold those with conflicting views in nonjudgement, are essential qualities in a great policy maker.
Our system is built on checks and balances. Sadly, in recent years, policy makers have become emboldened and shielded by lobbyists and money. Legislators are failing to pass even the most basic of funding bills and it seems politicians are more intent on keeping special interest groups that fund their campaigns content than passing meaningful laws that reform and evolve our systems to reflect the needs of today's citizens. As legislatures struggle to overcome partisan gridlock, executive actions have become more common place. In order to restore our system, we need to reengage our citizens in the electoral process, Meaningful campaign finance reforms, rank choice voting, and open primaries should all be ideas that are considered to reengage our citizens and give them back a sense of agency in their future.
I am very concerned about the state of our agriculture economy. Iowa is and has been an agricultural state for it's an entire history. Stroll down a small main street in rural Iowa and almost everything from the bank to the school to the small business is supported by agriculture. Sadly, our policy makers have allowed massive corporations to come in and erode our small towns and culture. Major chemical companies have been allowed to pollute our water and erode our soil quality. There has been a nearly 50 percent reduction in carbon in our soil in the last half a century, further exacerbating erosion and soil quality. Commodity markets have tightened and there is less diversity in our agriculture today than at any point in our history. And small farmers are forced to either grow or sell in order to survive. Consolidation means less farms, less people, less kids in our school and main street that struggles to recruit and retain businesses. One possible solution is to examine alternative agricultural practices such as "no till" and cover crops to restore our soil. Diversifying and investing in markets such as hemp, which are now being used in building materials, and incorporating organic farming methods could also be financially lucrative markets. Meaningful policy discussions regarding the agricultural sector should derive from commissions and think tanks that have farmers and the people closest to the land at the center of the table. Iowa can still hold onto its heritage of rolling agricultural fields AND work towards regenerative and financially advantageous policies.
Not necessarily. I believe great ideas can come from anyone and anywhere. Prior government experience is helpful, but I believe what matters most is the kind of leader that one shows themself to be and the examples of effective problem solving that they have demonstrated.
Teamwork makes the dream work! Effective policymakers understand how to bring people together to solve problems. Great policy makers know how to solve problems while honoring and incorporating the values of the other people at the table.
Education
Ways and Means
The success of Citizens United has infused unprecedented amounts of money into our political system. Since that landmark case we have seen politicians from both sides allow Super PAC's to spend relentless amounts of money to bolster candidates that they believe will better the best interest of corporations and large donors. As a result, the public at large has lost faith in our political system. Politicians are seen as more interested in lining their pockets and working to bolster their profiles in the search of power and money than they are in finding genuine solutions to our problems. Candidates that run campaigns declining this type of money and influence are often pushed aside in primaries or become beholden to the system out of necessity. If public trust is to be renewed, policy makers must reexamine campaign finance laws and restrict the flow of corporate and special interest money that is inflicting our system.
I think this should be a conversation. Citizens feel disenfranchised and having direct influence on policy in their state is a form of direct democracy and I think is a tool that should be considered, especially if policy makers continue to let money stifle policy making.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 20, 2024
Current members of the Iowa House of Representatives
Leadership
Majority Leader:Bobby Kaufmann
Representatives
District 1
J.D. Scholten (D)
District 2
Robert Henderson (R)
District 3
Thomas Jeneary (R)
District 4
Skyler Wheeler (R)
District 5
Zach Dieken (R)
District 6
Megan Jones (R)
District 7
Mike Sexton (R)
District 8
Ann Meyer (R)
District 9
Henry Stone (R)
District 10
John Wills (R)
District 11
Craig Williams (R)
District 12
Steven Holt (R)
District 13
Travis Sitzmann (R)
District 14
Jacob Bossman (R)
District 15
Matt Windschitl (R)
District 16
David Sieck (R)
District 17
Devon Wood (R)
District 18
Tom Moore (R)
District 19
Brent Siegrist (R)
District 20
Josh Turek (D)
District 21
Brooke Boden (R)
District 22
Samantha Fett (R)
District 23
Ray Sorensen (R)
District 24
Sam Wengryn (R)
District 25
Hans Wilz (R)
District 26
Austin Harris (R)
District 27
Kenan Judge (D)
District 28
David Young (R)
District 29
Brian Meyer (D)
District 30
Megan Srinivas (D)
District 31
Mary Madison (D)
District 32
Jennifer Konfrst (D)
District 33
Ruth Gaines (D)
District 34
Rob Johnson (D)
District 35
Sean Bagniewski (D)
District 36
Austin Baeth (D)
District 37
Barb McCulla (R)
District 38
Jon Dunwell (R)
District 39
Rick Olson (D)
District 40
Bill Gustoff (R)
District 41
Ryan Weldon (R)
District 42
Heather Matson (D)
District 43
Eddie Andrews (R)
District 44
Larry McBurney (D)
District 45
Brian Lohse (R)
District 46
Dan Gehlbach (R)
District 47
Carter Nordman (R)
District 48
Chad Behn (R)
District 49
District 50
Ross Wilburn (D)
District 51
Brett Barker (R)
District 52
David Blom (R)
District 53
Dean Fisher (R)
District 54
Joshua Meggers (R)
District 55
Shannon Latham (R)
District 56
Mark Thompson (R)
District 57
Pat Grassley (R)
District 58
Charley Thomson (R)
District 59
District 60
District 61
District 62
Jerome Amos (D)
District 63
Michael Bergan (R)
District 64
Jason Gearhart (R)
District 65
Shannon Lundgren (R)
District 66
Steven Bradley (R)
District 67
Craig Johnson (R)
District 68
Chad Ingels (R)
District 69
Tom Determann (R)
District 70
Norlin Mommsen (R)
District 71
Lindsay James (D)
District 72
Jennifer Smith (R)
District 73
Elizabeth Wilson (D)
District 74
Eric Gjerde (D)
District 75
Bob Kressig (D)
District 76
Derek Wulf (R)
District 77
Jeff Cooling (D)
District 78
Angel Ramirez (D)
District 79
Tracy Ehlert (D)
District 80
Aime Wichtendahl (D)
District 81
Daniel Gosa (D)
District 82
Bobby Kaufmann (R)
District 83
Cindy Golding (R)
District 84
Thomas Gerhold (R)
District 85
Amy Nielsen (D)
District 86
David Jacoby (D)
District 87
Jeff Shipley (R)
District 88
Helena Hayes (R)
District 89
Elinor Levin (D)
District 90
Adam Zabner (D)
District 91
Judd Lawler (R)
District 92
Heather Hora (R)
District 93
Gary Mohr (R)
District 94
Mike Vondran (R)
District 95
Taylor Collins (R)
District 96
Mark Cisneros (R)
District 97
Ken Croken (D)
District 98
Monica Kurth (D)
District 99
Matthew Rinker (R)
District 100
Blaine Watkins (R)
Republican Party (67)
Democratic Party (33)
