Marco Battaglia, the Libertarian candidate for Iowa's 3rd Congressional District, says Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and incumbent Republican Rep. Zach Nunn privately pressured him to drop out of the race. The alleged intervention comes as Republicans have invested heavily to defend the seat, one of Democrats' top targets this cycle.
Battaglia was removed from the ballot Monday after the Iowa State Objection Panel determined he was ineligible because he did not use his legal name: Mark Thomas Andersen. Battaglia said he plans to appeal the decision and is exploring write-in options.
According to Battaglia, Nunn visited his home on June 7 to convince him to exit the race. The following day, Battaglia said Kennedy called him from Washington. Battaglia shared screenshots of his call log with POLITICO showing an incoming call from a phone number Kennedy has previously used. The call arrived at 12:44 p.m. central and lasted nearly 12 minutes.
Battaglia recalled Kennedy telling him that it would be a direct blow to the HHS secretary personally if Republicans lost the seat. "If this seat flips, it'll make my life hell," Kennedy said, according to Battaglia's recollection. It is not clear what Kennedy was referring to, but he could face impeachment should Democrats retake control of the House.
Kennedy's office did not respond to a request for comment for this article. In recent weeks, the secretary has stepped up his involvement in battleground races, visiting Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden's 3rd District and Democratic Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur's 9th District. He is scheduled to appear with GOP Rep. Tom Barrett in Michigan's 7th District on Tuesday.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive and Democratic voices have characterized the alleged pressure campaign as voter suppression, arguing that Republicans are threatened by a competitive third-party candidate drawing conservative votes away from Nunn.
Evan McMahon, chair of the national Libertarian Party, issued a statement saying: "Iowa Republicans know they can't win on ideas, so they are resorting to their favorite tactic: suppressing voter choice. When a third party gathers a record number of signatures and earns its place on the ballot, the answer is to debate them, not to bully them, bribe them, or sue them off the ballot."
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee declined to comment directly but noted that Battaglia's removal benefits their candidate, Sarah Trone Garriott. National Democrats view the 3rd District as one of their best pickup opportunities in November.
Liberal commentators have argued that Kennedy's involvement raises ethical questions about a Cabinet secretary using his position to intervene in down-ballot races. The HHS secretary has faced scrutiny for his tenure at the agency while maintaining an active political profile.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans have defended Nunn's actions and focused on what they describe as legitimate concerns about ballot integrity rather than any improper pressure campaign.
Nunn's campaign did not dispute that he visited Battaglia's home, but adviser Annie Kuhle said in a statement that the purpose was to inform Battaglia of challenges to his signatures and invite him to cooperate with the investigation. "No offer, inducement, or thing of value was ever proposed or provided in exchange for withdrawing the nomination petitions," Kuhle said.
Kuhle also said there is "strong evidence" Battaglia's signatures were gathered by "dark-money outside groups with ties to the Democrat Party." The claim has not been independently verified. A spokesperson for Nunn's campaign, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said they "kept stakeholders, including the White House, informed of our concerns," but denied asking anyone to take action on their behalf.
Conservative commentators have emphasized that Battaglia was properly removed from the ballot for using a different name than his legal one. They argue this reflects a pattern of Libertarian candidates attempting to circumvent state election laws and that the signature challenges were legitimate, not politically motivated.
What the Numbers Show
The 3rd District race is among the most competitive in the country. Nunn won the seat by fewer than four percentage points in 2024, even as Trump carried Iowa by 13 points statewide, indicating significant ticket-splitting among district voters.
Republicans have spent nearly $4.5 million to defend the seat, according to political advertising tracker AdImpact. That figure represents one of the largest defensive investments by Republicans outside of seats they currently hold.
Battaglia gathered enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot before being removed Monday. The Iowa State Objection Panel's decision was based on his use of Marco Battaglia rather than his legal name, Mark Thomas Andersen.
The district has a history of competitive elections and ticket-splitting behavior that makes both parties view it as winnable in November. Nunn is running for his second term after flipping the seat from Democratic control in 2022.
The Bottom Line
The alleged intervention by Kennedy highlights how high-profile Cabinet officials are becoming involved in competitive House races, raising questions about appropriate use of political capital by sitting administration members.
Battaglia plans to appeal his ballot removal through the same process that failed for Libertarian candidates in 2024. If the appeal is denied again, he may pursue a write-in candidacy similar to previous efforts.
The outcome could affect control of the House. Republicans currently hold a narrow majority, and Democrats need to flip several seats to regain control. Nunn's seat is consistently cited as one of their most realistic targets.
What happens next: Battaglia's appeal hearing date has not been set. The Kennedy call remains unverified by independent sources, as his office did not respond to requests for comment.