Iowa House District 33 candidate Blake Clyde: 'Winning statewide starts here'

Black Iowa News invited candidate Blake Clyde, a Democrat, to discuss his run for Iowa House District 33 in Des Moines. State Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines, D-Des Moines, who has held the seat since 2011, recently announced she won’t seek reelection.

So far, two other candidates have announced their campaigns: Ivette Muhammad, chief operations officer of Creative Visions, and Cody Smith, who lists himself as an environmental leader.

The deadline for candidates to file for state offices is March 13, according to the Iowa Secretary of State. The primary election will be held June 2, 2026. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.

Here are Clyde’s emailed responses to the questionnaire by Black Iowa News.

Name: Blake Clyde

Party: Democrat

Age: 36

City of birth: Tupelo, Mississippi

Spouse/significant other/family members, pets?: My significant other is Paul Joy, the photographer and videographer for DMU. I have two pets, a beagle named Drummy and a tuxedo cat named Pepper.

Occupation: Nonprofit development

Educational background: B.A. in communication, Mississippi State University

Previous elected positions/and or campaigns: None listed

City you currently reside in: Des Moines

When will you file the paperwork to run for House District 33?: My paperwork was filed at the end of December.

Who is your campaign manager + phone/email)?: None listed

Black Iowa News: What specifically motivated you to run for Iowa House District 33?

Clyde: “I love this community, and I wish the state government cared about us as much as we care about each
other. Working in nonprofits, I see every day the ways the state’s inaction allows vulnerable people to fall
through the cracks, and that makes us all worse off. Housing affordability is forcing people, many of them seniors, out of their homes. Sagging wages while rent continues to rise, and jobs that do not pay enough to keep up with the cost of living, are pushing young Iowans to look for opportunities elsewhere. Our public schools are also under constant attack, particularly
through efforts to undermine their funding at the legislature. I want state government to reflect the community we have here. I understand the realities so many people in District 33 are facing because I face them, too. The only way out of this is putting community first, and that is the spirit I will bring to the Capitol.”

Iowa House District 33. Source: Iowa Legislature.

Black Iowa News: Tell our readers about the legislative priorities you selected and why, and provide details about what would need to happen at the statehouse to implement them.

Clyde: “If I am elected to the Iowa House, District 33 voters can expect me to have a clear and consistent focus on housing, cost of living, education and opportunity.

We can lower the burden on homeowners by legalizing marijuana, just like three of our neighboring states, and using that revenue to support services that are currently funded almost entirely by property taxes. That same revenue can help first-time homebuyers so young Iowans feel like they can realistically build a future here. We also need to modernize Iowa’s tenant protection laws and rein in corporate developers that are buying up housing stock and driving up rents, especially in our neighborhoods.

We must repeal the ESA voucher program that is draining public schools while primarily benefiting families who could already afford private tuition. Iowa should fully fund public education again so we can return to being a national leader. Families caring for elderly or sick loved ones also deserve relief, including tax exemptions on everyday purchases required to provide that care.

At the same time, we need to protect our water by supporting farmers who are good stewards of the land while holding major polluters accountable. We also have to take mental health seriously by investing in care so people are not waiting months for help when they are already at a breaking point.

None of this happens without strong turnout in districts like District 33. Winning statewide starts here. I am committed to doing the work, knocking doors, listening to voters and fighting for solutions that put our community first, without influence from PACs or corporate lobbyists. My sleeves are rolled up, and I am already on the ground.”

Black Iowa News: What’s it like to be Black in Des Moines, and how does that factor into your decision to run for public office?

Clyde: “Like a lot of Black Iowans, it is easy to feel overlooked. We are such a small percentage of the population statewide that our perspectives are not always centered when legislative priorities are set at the Capitol, or even in everyday life.

Thankfully, like many of us, I had a strong Black mother who instilled in me the confidence and self-assuredness needed to face challenges head-on, speak truth to power and put my head down and do the work when it is required.”

Black Iowa News: The year 2025 was difficult for many people due to rising food, housing and health care costs, unemployment and the divisiveness of political discourse. How will your platform and campaign motivate people and get them to register and get out to the polls?

Clyde: “This campaign is all about in-person voter contact. I am doing all of the introductory outreach myself, and I have been very busy talking directly with voters. As we move into the spring, I will engage a strong team of canvassing volunteers who have already signed up to support the campaign, along with a coordinated mail, phone and digital effort to get as many voters signed up for absentee voting as possible.

Once absentee voting ends and early voting begins, we will make an aggressive push to get the voters we have talked to, but who have not yet voted, to the polls. My previous work organizing for the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign will be a major asset in how we approach turnout.”

Black Iowa News: What are you hearing so far from Des Moines residents about what they need most?

Clyde: “I have been door knocking in both the Highland Park and Union Park neighborhoods, and the message has been consistent. People are tired of feeling like they cannot keep up with their bills or save any money because everything keeps getting more expensive while wages fail to keep pace.

There is also deep concern about how private school vouchers are affecting our public schools, as well as frustration over mental health resources being nearly impossible to access when they are needed most. There are things the state can do to address all of this, and I lay out that vision in detail on my website, www.blakeclydeforiowa.com/issues.”

Black Iowa News: What responsibility do you feel as someone who is Black to ensure Black Iowans’ voices and needs reach the statehouse?

Clyde: “That responsibility always weighs heavily on me. Many of us grew up hearing from older family members that we have an obligation to do good not just for ourselves, but for our community.

I firmly believe that simply having Black skin is not enough. I will actively push to ensure policy decisions are evaluated through the lens of Black voters so that efforts to help do not end up causing harm where our communities are concerned.”

Black Iowa News: What do you need from the community to win this seat?

Clyde: “I need our community to bet on ourselves. No one can take care of us better than we can, especially in this climate. If we want real change, we have to be willing to show up and demand it. We cannot complain if we do not take up space at the table.”

Black Iowa News: Tell us about someone who was influential in your life and how that shaped you?

Clyde: “It may be cliche, but my mom is both my hero and my best friend. We still talk every day, even though we are now in different states, and as I have gotten older, I can better see the sacrifices she and my family made to give me opportunities to succeed. I am incredibly blessed to have her.”

Black Iowa News: Do you have a motto you live by or a favorite saying?

“I said what I said.”

— Nene Leakes

Black Iowa News: What do you like to do in your spare time?

“I am very active in the Central Iowa arts community, both as an administrator for the Cloris Leachman Excellence in Theatre Arts Awards, which judges more than 40 shows by 11 different theatre companies across Central Iowa and as a performer.

I am also active in my church, Capitol Hill Lutheran in the East Village, from ushering to helping with the Clothes Closet. I attend nearly every festival in Des Moines during the summer, and I am often out in the East Village and Union Park with my dog Drummy, so if you see us, say hello.”