The Libertarian running for Congress in Iowa’s 3rd District says he plans to keep campaigning even if a state panel decides he is not eligible to stay on the ballot.
Marco Battaglia is running against Democrat Lanon Baccam and incumbent Republican Rep. Zach Nunn to represent a district that covers the Des Moines metro and much of southwest and south central Iowa.
A pair of voters who are active in the Republican Party filed a complaint last week aimed at removing Battaglia from the ballot. They claim the Libertarian Party failed to hold required county conventions. Battaglia took the stage at The Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday and said he’d be willing to settle the issue in a wrestling ring.
"I invited Zach Nunn here to a no-holds-barred wrestling match — loser leaves the ballot,” said Battaglia, sporting a Super Mario cap and a T-shirt for his heavy metal band, Dark Mirror. "Looks like there’s only one guy here.”
Battaglia, who lives on the south side of Des Moines, believes the party process meets the legal requirements. He said Libertarians held a state convention where county delegates broke off into separate meetings.
"I don’t know what the mix-up is to be honest,” Battaglia told reporters after his appearance at the fair. "I just know that I’m going to keep campaigning. I’m going to go to my town halls in every county in the district, regardless. If they take my name off the ballot, I’m going to say, 'Write in Marco Battaglia.' I’ll keep the promises I made to the people when I said I would go up there and represent them.”
Battaglia said the party nominating process is the same as it was two years ago when he ran for lieutenant governor. In that 2022 election, the Libertarian ticket earned more than 2% in the gubernatorial race and earned major party status in Iowa.
Political opponents are trying to game the system and create obstacles for third party contenders, Battaglia said. But he plans to work with Libertarian party leaders and attorneys to resist the effort to leave him off the ballot.
"If we do fight it, it’s going to be because it’s a legitimate legal concern and we’re going to go through the court system. We’re not going to storm the golden dome and, like, pee on the Governor’s rug or something,” Battaglia said, referencing allegations against rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 2021. "That’s not Libertarian.”
Similar ballot access challenges were filed against Libertarians Nicholas Gluba and Charles Aldrich, who are running for Congress in the 1st and 4th Districts, respectively.
Ballot complaints go to the State Objection Panel, which includes the secretary of state, state auditor and attorney general. The panel plans to hold a hearing on Aug. 28 to take up the issue.
Rep. Zach Nunn spoke at the Political Soapbox on Friday. Lanon Baccam addressed voters at the fair Monday afternoon.
