Watkins says he''ll seek re-election

DONNELLSON -  State Representative Blaine Watkins, first elected in March 2025 during a special election, announced Friday night that he will seek re-election to the Iowa House in 2026.
“In my first year in the Iowa House, we’ve delivered real results — keeping classrooms focused by limiting cell-phone distractions, making Iowa’s roads safer by cracking down on distracted driving, and protecting IPERS for public employees,” Watkins said.
Watkins emphasized that Iowa’s future depends on a new generation of leadership stepping forward, not on those who have spent years defending the status quo.
“The future of Iowa will not be shaped by the same people who have held office for years, protecting the status quo and the way things have always been.” Watkins said. “The future will be shaped by those who are stepping up now from the next generation — for their friends, their families, and their communities.” 
“That’s why I’m proud to announce that I will be running for re-election as your State Representative in 2026, so we can continue the work we’ve started together.”
Watkins said his priorities for the next term include delivering meaningful property tax relief, strengthening public safety, and advancing economic development and job growth across Southeast Iowa.