Iowa House District 3 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them
Zach Nunn (REP, incumbent), Sarah Trone Garriott (DEM).
1 other filed with the FEC; any ads they ran are below. 56 ads analyzed, 29 with at least one technique in the copy.
Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing. Updated 2026-09-30.
$177,400–225,060 on all ads, $107,800–132,635 on flagged ads · Meta reports ranges; these are the sums of their ends
Example
“put families and kids first” — Glittering Generalities, paid for by Sarah for Iowa
· the flagged ad with the highest reported spend that shows the most common technique
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A small box with these findings and the newest ads, updated as new ads are analyzed. Free for newsrooms, blogs and campaigns alike; it links back here.
Decide what counts
Not everyone would call every technique manipulation. Untick the ones you'd call ordinary persuasion and the count updates.
52% of the 56 ads here use at least one of the techniques ticked below (29 ads).
Leaving out the softer ones (loaded language, glittering generalities, slogans, exaggeration, repetition): 39% of ads.
The words doing the work
The words that show up most in phrases our model flagged as loaded language or name calling in this race's ads, by number of ads.
girlin 4 ads· e.g. “boys don't belong in girls' sports”, “biological men in girls' locker rooms”
menin 3 ads· e.g. “biological men in girls' locker rooms”, “🚨Men in women's sports”
sportin 3 ads· e.g. “boys don't belong in girls' sports”, “🚨Men in women's sports”
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From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.
$5.3M through 2026-06-30individuals $4.8M · PACs $439K · party $11K · candidate's own money, incl. loans $120 · from the candidate's other committees $87K · cash on hand $3.9M
NO GOING BACK PAC INC.— $198K opposing GarriottCFFE PAC— $86K supporting GarriottLargest donors:
PIVOTAL VENTURES $2.0M (56%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); OPPORTUNITY ACTION FUND $750K (21%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); GREEN ADVOCACY PROJECT $250K (7%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS PAC $250K (7%); CHILDREN'S EQUITY FUND $100K (3%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC)WELCOMEPAC— $48K supporting GarriottTHE CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DBA AMERICANS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY— $26K opposing GarriottPROGRESSIVE TURNOUT PROJECT— $20K supporting GarriottLargest donors:
STOP REPUBLICANS $5.8M (22%) (its largest donors: PROGRESSIVE TURNOUT PROJECT $2.5M; DWORETZKY, JOSHUA $2.2M); LEVINER, BETTY $5.7M (21%); PROGRESSIVE TAKEOVER $3.5M (13%) (its largest donors: RITSCH, MALCOLM $1.3M); STOP THESE OPPRESSIVE PEOPLE: TYRANTS RACISTS UNQUALIFIEDS MISOGYNISTS PROPAGANDISTS (STOP TRUMP) $3.0M (11%) (its largest donors: BROWN, BEVERLY $1.1M); DEM TURNOUT 2024 $2.1M (8%) (its largest donors: ASHFORD, HELEN $1.1M)and 3 more
109 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election
A PLEASANT PENINSULA PAC $4,000
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AAJ PAC) $7,500
AMERICAN DEFENSE AND MILITARY PAC $3,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES P E O P L E $5,000
AMERICAN INNOVATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AMI PAC) $1,000
AMERICAN MOSAIC PAC $1,000
AMERICANS MAKING OPPORTUNITIES PAC $1,000
AMERIPAC: THE FUND FOR A GREATER AMERICA $5,000
BEEPAC (BUILDING ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PAC) $4,000
BEYOND THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS PAC $3,000
BLUE HEN FEDERAL PAC $5,000
BLUE MAJORITY PAC $4,000
BLUE MOMENTUM PAC $5,000
BRIDGE THE GAP PAC $3,000
BUILD THE BENCH PAC $3,500
CA LUV PAC (CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP UNITED FOR VICTORY PAC) $10K
CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS $10K
COMMITTEE FOR A DEMOCRATIC FUTURE $2,000
COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA - COPE POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEE $5,000
D.R.I.V.E. - DEM, REP, IND VOTER ED (THE PAC OF THE INT'L BRHD OF TEAMSTERS) $5,000
DE COLORES PAC $1,000
DEFEND THE VOTE $7,500
DEMOCRACY SUMMER LEADERSHIP PAC $10K
DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY FUND $7,500
DEMOCRATIC TURNOUT PROJECT PAC $1,000
DEMOCRATIC VALUES $1,000
DEMOCRATIC WOMEN OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY $500
DSCC/EMILY'S LIST COMMITTEE $5,000
ELECT DEMOCRATIC WOMEN $5,000
ELECT DEMS NOW PAC $1,000
EMILIA SYKES FOR CONGRESS $1,000
EMILYS LIST $5,000
END CITIZENS UNITED $1,500
EQUALITY PAC $2,500
EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY ACTION FUND, INC. PAC (EVERYTOWN PAC) $1,500
FAIR SHOT PAC $10K
FIGHT FOR PROGRESS PAC $1,000
FIGHTING BACK PAC $3,000
FLIP THE CONGRESS PAC $10K
FOSTERING PROGRESS PAC $1,000
FRONTLINE FIGHTERS PAC $5,000
FUTURE FORUM PAC $2,500
HMP $10K
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN PAC $9,550
IN THIS TOGETHER PAC $5,000
INLAND EMPIRE STRIKES PAC; THE $1,000
INNOVATION FOR GOOD PAC $5,000
INT'L ASSOCIATION OF BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTAL AND REINFORCING IRON WORKERS (IPAL) $5,000
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION LEAGUE $10K
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
IRISH AMERICAN DEMOCRATS $350
JAMIE RASKIN FOR CONGRESS $2,000
JEFFRIES FOR CONGRESS $4,000
JOBS, OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATION PAC (JOE-PAC) $10K
JUSTICE LEAGUE PAC $1,000
KATHERINE CLARK FOR CONGRESS $4,000
KUSTER FOR CONGRESS, INC $2,000
LA BAMBA PAC $1,500
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY INNOVATION SERVICE PAC $1,000
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS ACTION FUND $5,990
LIFTOFF PAC $2,500
LLOYD DOGGETT CAMPAIGN FUND $2,000
LOBO PAC $1,500
LORI TRAHAN FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE $2,000
MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERS $10K
MAKING A DIFFERENCE PAC $1,000
MELTON FOR IOWA $400
MIDWEST VALUES PAC $2,500
MITTEN PAC $5,000
MOMS FED UP $10K
NANCY PELOSI FOR CONGRESS $2,000
NATIONAL POSTAL MAIL HANDLERS UNION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND PUBLIC EDUCATION $5,000
NEW DEMOCRAT COALITION ACTION FUND $7,500
NEW POLITICS NEXT MISSION FUND $6,061
NO SURRENDER FUND $10K
NORTH AMERICA'S BUILDING TRADES UNIONS POLITICAL EDUCATIONAL FUND $1,000
NOT SO OLD FASHIONED PAC $1,000
NRDC ACTION FUND INC. $1,000
OVERSIGHT ACTION FUND $2,000
PAC OF APPLES $2,000
PAC TO THE FUTURE $5,000
PATRIOT PAC $2,500
PETE AGUILAR FOR CONGRESS $4,000
PROTECT DEMOCRACY NOW $1,000
PUGET PAC $1,500
SAVE DEMOCRACY PAC $5,000
SCHAKOWSKY FOR CONGRESS $1,000
SCHNEIDER FOR CONGRESS $2,000
SHORE PAC $1,000
SMALL TOWN PAC $5,000
STANTON FOR CONGRESS $1,000
STORM PAC $1,000
SUNFLOWER SEEDS PAC $2,000
SUPPORTING HOUSE PROBLEM SOLVERS - SHP PAC $3,500
THE JUNO FUND $10K
THE MAJORITY RULES PAC $1,500
THE NEXT 50 PAC $10K
THERESA GREENFIELD FOR IOWA $2,000
TOMORROW PAC $1,000
TRI-STATE MAXED-OUT WOMEN $2,500
UA UNION PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS VOTE! PAC (UNITED ASSOCIATION OF JOURNEYMEN AND APPRENTICES OF THE PLUMBING & PIPEFITTING INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA) $5,000
UAW - V - CAP (UAW VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM) 'INT'L UNION UNITED AUTOMOBILE AEROSPACE & AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT WORKERS OF AMERICA UAW $10K
Showing the 2 ads paid for by LCV VICTORY FUND. Show all 56 ads
Paid for by LCV VICTORY FUNDfrom 2026-09-232 variantsspend $1,000–1,198250,000–299,998 impressions
Dirty water! Sky-high electric bills! Thanks to Congressman Nunn, a new data center could be yours!
Dirty water! Sky-high electric bills! Thanks to Congressman Nunn, a new data center could be yours!
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by LCV VICTORY FUNDfrom 2026-09-232 variantsspend $1,100–1,298270,000–329,998 impressions
Congressman Nunn took money from data center developers and voted to give them a $80 billion tax break.
Congressman Nunn took money from data center developers and voted to give them a $80 billion tax break.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in IA; or it ran mostly in IA and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific manipulative move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. The check runs once and its result is shown to everyone afterwards. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.
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