Storm Lake Resident Mike Frantz Among Local Candidates Set for June Primary

Storm Lake resident Mike Frantz is entering the race for Iowa Senate District 3 as the unopposed Democratic nominee, one of several local names now confirmed on the ballot ahead of Iowa's June 2 primary.

The Iowa Secretary of State's certified candidate list places Frantz, Shane Bellefy of Cherokee, and incumbent Lynn Evans of Aurelia as the three candidates in Senate District 3. Frantz is a retired college admissions, financial aid, and marketing consultant. District 3 covers all of Buena Vista, O'Brien, and Osceola counties, along with portions of Cherokee and Clay counties.

On the Republican side, the seat is currently held by Lynn Evans of Aurelia, who is seeking re-election. Evans, a retired school superintendent seeking a second term, faces a challenge from Bellefy, a banking officer and Cherokee County Supervisor who has focused his campaign on property-tax reform and local control. Frantz, meanwhile, heads into the June primary without a Democratic opponent.

Frantz announced his run in a post on his Substack blog, Mike's Travel Quips and Stories, telling readers that the decision came together in a matter of days and only after a wave of encouragement from across northwest Iowa. His three broad priorities include strengthening education from kindergarten through college, expanding personal freedoms, and relying on science to guide policy decisions on issues like water quality and public health.

The congressional race to the north of the state senate contest also carries a Storm Lake connection. Dave Dawson of Lawton, Stephanie Steiner of Sutherland, and Ashley WolfTornabane of Storm Lake are running in the Democratic primary for Iowa's 4th Congressional District on June 2, 2026. Dawson is an attorney and former state representative from Lawton. Steiner, a former women's health nurse and small livestock producer from Sutherland, has emphasized school funding and access to behavioral health services. WolfTornabane of Storm Lake has announced she is also running for the Democratic nomination, campaigning on immigration reform, rural workforce needs, and housing affordability.

Republican Chris McGowan will be unopposed in the fourth district GOP primary; at one time there were four other Republicans campaigning in the district, which is currently represented by Randy Feenstra, who is running for governor. The winner of the three-way Democratic primary will face McGowan in November.

Further down the ballot, State Rep. Zach Dieken, who represents a district that includes parts of Buena Vista County, decided not to seek a third term, and two Republicans will vie for his seat in June: Keith Glienke of Aurelia and Michael Schnoes of Sutherland.

At the statewide level, the governor's race took shape when Democrat Julie Stauch fell short of the signature threshold in two counties, leaving State Auditor Rob Sand with a clear path to the Democratic Party's nomination for governor. All five Republicans who had been running for governor met the signature threshold: State Representative Eddie Andrews, Congressman Randy Feenstra, businessman Zach Lahn, pastor Brad Sherman, and former state agency director Adam Steen.

Secretary of State Paul Pate said nearly 300 candidates have been approved for the primary elections on June 2. For Buena Vista County voters, the most direct contests on that ballot will be the Senate District 3 Republican primary between Evans and Bellefy, with Frantz already waiting in the general election.