Show Us the Money

Republican David Pautsch has raised $57,495 in Iowa campaign finance 2026 filings for the 1st U.S. House District, according to the Federal Election Commission. Individual donors provided $40,995 of that total. Pautsch loaned his campaign $16,500, money that remains outstanding as debt. He has spent $53,301 and held $9,891 in cash on hand as of mid-May.

Pautsch's fundraising breaks down simply. Of his $57,495 in total receipts, nearly all came from individual contributors. He made no personal contributions beyond the $16,500 loan. His campaign has spent most of what it raised, leaving a thin cash cushion heading into the race.

That loan is listed as an outstanding debt. If the campaign does not repay it, Pautsch would personally absorb the cost.

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PAC and Organizational Contributors

Pautsch received no money from political action committees or party committees in the 2026 cycle. No outside spending, either in support of or against his campaign, has been recorded with the FEC.

That's a change from his 2024 run, when he collected $5,000 from other political committees. This cycle, his campaign is funded entirely by individual donors and his own loan.

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State Comparison

Pautsch sits near the bottom of the Iowa congressional fundraising field. The top three fundraisers in the state are:

1. Ashley Hinson Arenholz (R, District 2), $8.16 million raised, $5.99 million cash on hand
2. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R, District 1), $6.17 million raised, $4.25 million cash on hand
3. Christina Bohannan (D, District 1), $5.65 million raised, $4.34 million cash on hand

Pautsch's $57,495 is a fraction of what the leaders have raised. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, the incumbent in his own district, has more than 107 times as much cash on hand as Pautsch.

All Iowa federal candidates combined have raised roughly $273 million in the 2026 election campaign funds. Pautsch's share of that statewide total is less than one-tenth of one percent.

Republicans have raised $33.4 million across 17 candidates. Democrats have raised $21.8 million across 18 candidates.

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Incumbents vs. Challengers

The cash gap between incumbents and challengers in Iowa is stark. The three incumbents with available 2026 data (Hinson Arenholz, Miller-Meeks, and Zach Nunn) have combined cash on hand of more than $14 million.

Challengers and open-seat candidates vary widely. Christina Bohannan, a challenger in District 1, has raised $5.65 million and holds $4.34 million in cash, competitive with the incumbents. But most non-incumbents trail far behind. Pautsch, also a challenger in District 1, sits among the lowest-funded candidates in the state.

The pattern reflects a national trend: incumbents typically hold large financial advantages over challengers as the primary season approaches.

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*Source: Federal Election Commission (FEC), data current as of May 13, 2026.*

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