Two Des Moines City Council members registered as Democrats, Mike Simonson and Joe Gatto, appear in a television ad endorsing Republican U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn. Nunn is seeking a third term against Democratic challenger Sarah Trone Garriott in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District. The endorsements have drawn criticism from some Des Moines Democrats as the race tightens.
Their roles on the council
The City of Des Moines lists Simonson as an at-large council member and Gatto as the Ward 4 representative.
Council Members Go All In for the GOP Incumbent
According to Axios, Nunn’s campaign released the ad featuring Simonson and Gatto, with Simonson describing himself as a moderate Democrat on the Des Moines City Council. In the ad, Simonson says he supports Iowa Attorney General Rob Sand while also throwing his weight behind Nunn. Gatto, for his part, said in the spot that Nunn delivers for Iowa and stated plainly that he is not voting for Trone Garriott. Simonson’s ad comments also express support for both Sand and Nunn.
The newsletter Fallon Forum also identifies Simonson and Gatto as Democrats who endorsed Nunn in the ad. Nunn, an Ankeny Republican, is seeking reelection in the 21-county district, which includes Des Moines, its suburbs and much of rural south-central Iowa, according to the Des Moines Register.
A Complicated History With Trone Garriott’s Campaign
Simonson had previously backed Trone Garriott: he appeared on her campaign’s local endorsement list in December 2025 and donated $7,500 to her campaign that year, according to Axios. Neither Simonson nor Gatto responded to Axios’ request for comment on the ad.
Trone Garriott’s campaign has previously touted a roster of local endorsements beyond Simonson, including Des Moines City Council member Carl Voss. In announcing that endorsement slate, the campaign framed IA-03 in stark terms, stating that “with IA-03 rated a toss-up and control of the U.S. House likely to run through this district,” according to Sarah for Iowa. Trone Garriott’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Simonson and Gatto ad, per Axios.
Nunn’s Campaign Leans Into Bipartisan Appeal
Nunn campaign spokesperson Mark Matava told Axios that Republicans, Democrats and independents support Nunn because they believe he delivers for Iowa. Axios also reported that some Des Moines Democrats criticized the endorsements and pledged to withhold future financial support.
The dispute also surfaced on social media. On Threads, @blakeclydedsm wrote that Simonson and Gatto “really looked at Zach Nunn and decided THAT was the guy they wanted to put their names behind,” calling it “an absolute embarrassment” that two Des Moines City Council Democrats would do so.
A Race That Has Shifted in Recent Weeks
The controversy comes as the 3rd District race has drawn fresh national attention. Earlier in October, the Cook Political Report shifted its rating of the race from toss-up to lean Democratic, while Sabato’s Crystal Ball continued to rate it a toss-up. Nunn and Trone Garriott met for a televised debate on October 27, clashing over issues including the Iran war and health care, according to the Des Moines Register.
Nunn won reelection in 2024 with 52% of the vote, defeating Democrat Lanon Baccam by roughly four percentage points in a district the Cook Political Report had also labeled a toss-up heading into that election, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch. That race drew nearly $16 million in outside-group spending from super PACs and similar organizations, per data the Dispatch cited from OpenSecrets. With the 2026 contest now rated more favorably for Democrats and two of the council’s own members publicly siding with the Republican incumbent, the fight over IA-03 appears far from settled.
