Democratic Party Senate candidate Nathan Sage held a meet and greet event in Indianola at Pageturners Bookstore Thursday. Sage spoke and took questions from approximately 20 attendees, discussing the economy, healthcare, the cutting of veterans jobs at the VA, and rising childcare costs. Sage also discussed his working class background, and said he believes change comes from electing a candidate who isn’t wealthy to change the rules to benefit everyone, not just those at the top.

“The only way we are ever going to get anywhere, is to elect working class candidates because why? 98% of Washington DC is made up of generational wealth. Only 2% come from the working class. That’s the reason why the laws and policies, everything is triggered and forced to make us be the obedient worker we are supposed to be so they keep getting their millions and billions of dollars and we keep trying to figure out everyday life.”

Sage was the first to declare for the Democratic Party to run against Republican Joni Ernst next November. State Representative J.D. Scholten has since declared his candidacy as well. The party primary is scheduled for June of 2026.