Who is running for Iowa House, District 23 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Iowa House, District 23 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Iowa House District 23.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Ray Bubba SorensenRepublican | Karen VarleyDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Safety net programs | Keep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adultsVoted · medium | No public position |
| Abortion | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestVoted · medium | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Said · medium |
| Guns | Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightVoted · medium | No public position |
| Immigration | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyVoted · medium | No public position |
| School choice | Yes, universal school choice for every familyVoted · medium | No, keep public money in traditional public schoolsSaid · medium |
| Gender care for minors | No, ban these treatments for minorsVoted · medium | No public position |
| Transgender athletes | No, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsVoted · medium | No public position |
| DEI programs | Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutionsVoted · medium | No public position |
Ray Bubba Sorensen
Republican · IncumbentState Representative, Iowa House District 23
Ray "Bubba" Sorensen is the Republican incumbent in Iowa House District 23 and has served in the Iowa House since 201912. He chairs the House Economic Growth and Technology Committee2, and his campaign site calls him a small business owner and Freedom Rock artist3.
Where they stand 8 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familymedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on H.F. 68, which created universal education savings accounts (55 to 45). (2023-01-23) source
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on H.F. 732, the 2023 heartbeat abortion ban with exceptions for rape and incest if reported in time, fetal abnormality and medical emergency (56 to 34). (2023-07-11) source
Gender care for minorsNo, ban these treatments for minorsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on S.F. 538, which bans gender transition procedures for minors (58 to 39). (2023-03-08) source
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on S.F. 2340, which made illegal reentry a state crime and let judges order people to leave the country (64 to 30). (2024-03-19) source
DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionsmedium
GunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on H.F. 756, the 2021 permitless carry law (60 to 37). (2021-03-17) source
Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on H.F. 2416, which limits girls' and women's school sports teams to those born female (55 to 39). (2022-02-21) source
Safety net programsKeep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adultsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on S.F. 615, which adds work requirements to the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan and public assistance programs (61 to 35). (2025-03-26) source
No public position found on: Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Energy and climate, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Religion in schools, China policy.
Karen Varley
DemocratAttorney, Stuart
Karen Varley is the Democratic nominee for Iowa House District 23 and was unopposed in the June 2026 Democratic primary12. She grew up on her family's Iowa dairy farm, has a career spanning agriculture, agronomy and law, and owns a law practice in Stuart with her husband3.
Where they stand 2 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Called on lawmakers to eliminate the state's education savings accounts and said one of her top priorities is fully funding and supporting public schools. (2024-10) source
AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)medium
Said · medium confidence- Opposed the state's six-week fetal heartbeat abortion ban and advocated returning the state to the standards under Roe v. Wade. (2024-10) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.