I met Ryan Melton at a Boone County fundraiser in Ogden just before Christmas. Ryan is running against incumbent Randy Feenstra who was elected in 2021. It is a very tough district for a Democract, as the current 4th district is by far the most conservative in Iowa – it was the only one of the state’s four districts to be won by Mitt Romney in 2012, and Donald Trump carried it by over 25 points in 2016.

The population of the 36 county area is 765,000 and includes the western border of the state, with cities including Sioux City and Council Bluffs. Up north, it extends eastwards into Ames, Boone, Fort Dodge, and Marshalltown.

Ryan resides in Nevada with his wife and two boys. He was born and lived in poverty, and knows the hardship being endured by working families. The first of his immediate family to graduate from college, he expresses gratefulness for Iowa’s public schools. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Iowa State, and his M.A. in U.S. History from Kansas University.

Hearing Ryan speak is a breath of fresh air. His life experiences have prepared him very well for a legislative leader. He recognizes the need for Democratic values in this very rural conservative section of rural Iowa.

Please support him by attending his gatherings and giving him financial assistance. He may be reached at P.O Box 132 Nevada, Iowa 50201 or melton4iowa@gmail.com