Two candidates have announced campaigns for Iowa House District 55 following news that current State Representative Shannon Latham will not seek reelection in 2026.
Latham, a Republican from Sheffield, has represented the district since 2021. She recently announced she will step away from the Legislature at the end of her term after accepting a position as executive director of the Iowa FFA Foundation.
Bryson Zabel, a rural Hampton resident and teacher, announced his candidacy Tuesday in a Facebook post. Zabel lives on a farm outside Hampton and is currently in his 10th year of teaching, including five years working remotely for a virtual school in the Oelwein Community School District. In announcing his campaign, Zabel said he wants to support parental choice in education while also working with teachers and education organizations to help retain educators in the profession. He also said he supports fiscally responsible policies that allow taxpayers to keep more of their income. Zabel did not specify a political party affiliation in his announcement.
Also entering the race is Brian Young of Stratford, running as a Republican. Young is a sixth-generation farmer who works on his family farm outside Stratford. In a press release from Iowa House Republicans Wednesday, Young said he is running for office for the first time because he believes the district should continue to have a strong conservative voice in the Iowa House. Young says his priorities include supporting tax relief, opposing eminent domain for private gain and advocating for pro-life policies. He has also served for nearly two decades on the local Farm Bureau board and is a deacon at Countryside Bible Chapel near Stratford.
House District 55 includes Franklin and Hamilton counties and parts of Wright and Story counties.
Full announcement from Zabel can be found here
Full announcement from Young is below
STRATFORD, IA – Today, conservative Brian Young is proud to announce his candidacy for Iowa House District 55. The district includes Hamilton County, Franklin County, SE Wright County, and NW Story County.
Brian is a sixth-generation farmer running for public office for the first time because he wants to ensure the district continues to have strong leadership in Des Moines.
“I’m running for Iowa House because I believe the district deserves a strong conservative voice at the Statehouse,” Young said. “I believe that life begins at conception, I support tax relief, and I oppose eminent domain for private gain. As a Christian, I seek the truth and hold to conservative values.”
Brian Young was born and raised on his family farm outside of Stratford. After graduating high school, Young attended Emmaus University in Dubuque, where he met his wife, Sarah. The couple eventually returned home to farm with his father, Stacy, and grandfather, Darrell. Today, Brian and Sarah are raising their five children, Ella, Myra, Orion, Nolan, and Clara in the same home Brian grew up in. Brian and his family operate the family’s sixth-generation farm alongside his brother, Brandon, and his family.
In addition to farming, Brian Young serves as a deacon at Countryside Bible Chapel near Stratford. He has been engaged with the local Farm Bureau board for 19 years and has served as President and as a voting delegate. Young says serving on his local Farm Bureau board has shown him the importance of grassroots advocacy in Des Moines. He looks forward to the opportunity to carry the district’s voices and priorities to the Iowa House.
Young will be on the Republican Primary ballot on June 2, 2026. For more information about Brian and his campaign, you can find him on Facebook at Brian Young for Iowa House District 55 or email him at brianyoungforiowa@gmail.com.
