Iowa Libertarians could be kicked off the ballot this November if Republican efforts to challenge their candidacy succeed.
The Secretary of State’s Office received four challenges on Monday against Libertarian U.S. House candidates Marco Battaglia and Rick Stewart, and gubernatorial candidates Nicholas Gluba and Jules Cutler.
The objections were made over name discrepancies and missing filings, as well as insufficient valid signatures. They were brought by GOP voters, a Republican strategist and a GOP congressional staffer.
Stephanie Berlin, chair of the Libertarian Party of Iowa, called the challenges “bullying to remove a free and fair election for Iowans.”
“These challenges are entirely baseless in face of the fear of the Republican Party not able to run effective candidates on their own,” she said.
Objectors filed the challenges in some of Iowa’s most competitive races this year, where Libertarian candidates could draw votes away from Democrats and Republicans. The Cook Political Report currently categorizes the Third Congressional District and the race for governor as “toss-ups” – the group's most competitive designation.
Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Thomas Laehn did not face any objections. That race is currently ranked “lean Republican” by the Cook Political Report.
A state objection panel will review the challenges next Monday.
Third District candidate faces two challenges from Republicans
Third District candidate Marco Battaglia faces two challenges against his campaign, brought by Annie Kuhle, a GOP strategist, and Wes Enos, incumbent Republican Rep. Zach Nunn’s deputy chief of staff.
A challenge from Kuhle alleges Battaglia does not meet the signatures requirements to qualify for the ballot. Battaglia said he doesn’t expect his signatures to be an issue at next week's review.
“I stopped counting after thinking I was very safe, and then I tried to do that work for them and get rid of any that were potentially problematic,” he said.
Another challenge brought by Kuhle and Enos contends Battaglia should be disqualified because his affidavit for candidacy and nominating petition do not use his legal name, Mark Thomas Andersen.
Lawyer Alan Ostergren is representing Kuhle and Enos in the objection. He previously represented objectors to Libertarian candidates in 2024.
Battaglia confirmed his birth name, but said he has gone by “Marco Thomoso Battaglia” since his heavy metal band’s second album, which was released in 2009. He likens his Battaglia name to a pen or stage name, and said he adopted it after feeling it gave him stronger name recognition from playing across the Midwest.
Battaglia also points to previous local, state and federal elections where he ran using the name without issue.
“It's just there's like years of information of me going by Marco Battaglia,” he said. “I don't know, I think they're just throwing everything they could at the wall to see what sticks.”
Berlin claims challenges against Battaglia are “baseless” since he appeared on the ballot as “Marco Battaglia” in previous races and for his band. She argues the forms do not require a legal name.
“It simply says name, and in the objection; they don't ask for a legal name, they say 'real,'” she said. “So, my question is, then, what is a real name? Is it the name that everybody knows you as? I would say yes.”
Battaglia was removed from the ballot in 2024 after Republican officials on the state objection panel found that the Libertarian Party failed to follow state nominating procedures. The Supreme Court upheld the panel’s decision.
Battaglia continued to run as a write-in candidate.
While Berlin said other candidates are likely to be successful against their challenges, she believes Battaglia “at the very least” will end up in court.
Gubernatorial ticket challenged over discrepancies, missing filing
A challenge from Waukee Republican Keven Arrowsmith contends Nicholas Gluba’s affidavit for candidacy to run for governor contained incorrect information because the street name was misspelled and the word “drive” was omitted in the address.
Gluba previously ran for Congress in the First District in 2024, but ran as a write-in candidate after being removed from the ticket by a state objection panel.
Arrowsmith’s challenge also states the Libertarian lieutenant governor candidate, Jules Cutler, failed to file an affidavit for candidacy as required. The challenge argues her nominating petitions misrepresent her name as “Jules Cutler” rather than her legal name “Julia Cutler.”
Second District candidate faces challenge over name inconsistency
Bernie Hayes, who serves as chair of the Linn County Republicans, challenged Libertarian Rick Stewart’s candidacy for name discrepancies on filings. The candidate listed his name as “Rick Stewart” on his affidavit of candidacy but listed “Richard Stewart” on nomination petitions.
Hayes is also represented by Ostergren.
Independent candidate Dave Bushaw is also running in Iowa’s Second District.
