Libertarian candidate for the 3rd District Marco Battaglia blasted Republican Party officials who are challenging his right to be on the November ballot in a speech to the Iowa State Fair crowd (Photo by Jack O’Connor/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Des Moines native Marco Battaglia attacked Republican efforts to take his name off the ballot in a speech Sunday at the Des Moines Register’s Soapbox event at the Iowa State Fair.
A Libertarian candidate in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, Battaglia works as a correctional officer at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women but also ran for Iowa attorney general in 2018 and lieutenant governor in 2022.
Those filing petitions to keep Battaglia off the ballot allege 3rd District Libertarians did not hold county party conventions and thus his name should be pulled from the ballot.
Battaglia told reporters the party fulfilled state legal requirements by having nominating conventions where people would split off by county. Battaglia added that those challenging his right to be on the ballot should withdraw their challenge but even if their challenge is successful, he will continue his campaign as a write-in candidate.