Former Iowa state Rep. Dave Dawson is running as a Democrat for Congress in Iowa's heavily conservative 4th District in 2026.

Dawson, a 51-year-old Lawton resident, was born in Cherokee, grew up in Washta and has lived in Woodbury County for the last 23 years. He and his wife, Liza, have three children.

Dawson served in the Iowa House of Representatives for two terms beginning in 2012. He is a lawyer, having run his law office for five years and serving as a prosecutor for Woodbury County, where he specializes in cases involving child sexual abuse.

“As an Iowa prosecutor and attorney for the past 23 years, I have been a strong advocate for children and families who have lived with difficult circumstances," Dawson said in a news release.

Dawson previously served on the board of Communit

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