The mid-term elections are a week away, on Nov. 3.

One of Black Iowa News’ goals is to expose longstanding racial disparities affecting Black Iowans across many areas, seek solutions and use high-quality journalism to spark positive change. In our 2026 candidate questionnaire, we asked Iowa candidates specific questions about the challenges facing Black Iowans, who make up about 4.4 % of Iowa’s population.

Black Iowa News emailed more than 200+ candidates on the Secretary of State’s 2026 candidate list. We received seven responses. We want to thank each candidate below who took the time to participate, including:

From Left: Candidates Brian Bruening, Mark Divitt, Lindsay James, Chris Jones, John Norwood, Ronald Langston and Rob Sand. Photos courtesy of the candidates. Capitol image courtesy of Getty Images.

Brian Bruening, Democrat, Iowa House District 64.
Mark Divitt, Democrat, Iowa House District 91.
Lindsay James, Democrat, Iowa 2nd Congressional District.
Chris Jones, Democrat, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.
John Norwood, Democrat, Iowa State Treasurer.
Ron Langston, Republican, Iowa Senate District 17
Rob Sand, Democrat, Iowa Gubernatorial candidate.

Here are the questions we asked each candidate:

Black Iowans face challenges involving household income, homeownership, access to capital and business development. What specific policies would you support to expand economic opportunity, increase homeownership and help Black-owned businesses grow and succeed in Iowa?
Black Iowans experience disparities in maternal health, chronic disease and access to affordable, quality health care. What specific actions would you take to address these disparities, improve health outcomes and ensure Black Iowans have access to the care they need?
Educational achievement, school funding, access to higher education and the teaching of Black history remain important issues. What policies would you support to improve educational outcomes for Black students, ensure equitable opportunities and prepare young Black Iowans for successful careers and futures in Iowa?
Issues surrounding discrimination, voting rights, policing and criminal justice continue to affect Black communities. What specific actions would you take to protect civil rights, address racial disparities in the justice system and ensure Black Iowans are treated fairly by government institutions?
Why should Black Iowans entrust you with their vote? What in your record demonstrates that you understand the challenges facing Black communities and will take specific actions to improve their lives?