WolfTornabane backs Dawson after primary loss, urges Democratic unity

Ashley WolfTornabane is moving to the sidelines of the Democratic primary and into Dawson’s corner, saying the party has to come together if it wants any chance in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District. The Storm Lake Democrat, who finished just behind Dave Dawson in the June 2 primary, said she will support him in November and sees him as the stronger general-election option against Republican Chris McGowan.

Dawson won the Democratic nomination with 39.1% of the vote, while Stephanie Steiner took 30.5% and WolfTornabane finished at 30.4%. Even in defeat, WolfTornabane carried majorities in Buena Vista, Sac, Shelby, Pocahontas, Humboldt and Webster counties, underscoring the strength she built in northwest Iowa and around her hometown of Storm Lake. Buena Vista County’s primary turnout was 15.31%, with 1,637 ballots cast from 10,691 registered voters, including 510 Democratic ballots.

Her endorsement reflects the calculations Democrats face in a district long considered a Republican stronghold, one that election handicappers rate Solid Republican or Safe Republican. The seat covers northwest Iowa and includes places such as Sioux City, Ames and Council Bluffs. McGowan, the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce president, attorney and Iowa Air National Guard veteran, won the GOP nomination without opposition after receiving Donald Trump’s endorsement. The general election is set for November 3, 2026.

WolfTornabane’s support also points to the money gap shaping the race. Dawson raised more than $34,000 in recent Federal Election Commission reports, more than either of his Democratic rivals, but the party still faces a far better-funded Republican campaign. WolfTornabane has argued that public financing would help candidates speak to voters on a more even footing, a message likely to resonate with donors and volunteers deciding where to direct their energy after a bruising primary.

Dawson, a former Iowa House member who served from 2013 to 2017 and now works as a prosecutor in the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, enters the fall as the only candidate in the race with prior elected office experience. WolfTornabane said she is willing to knock on doors for him if he is putting in comparable effort, signaling that local organizers in Storm Lake and across Buena Vista County may soon be asked to shift from backing a preferred primary candidate to helping the nominee build a broader coalition. She said she has no plans to seek another office now, though she has not ruled out future possibilities.