Working‑Class Values. Honest Leadership.

I am Calvin Horn, seeking election to the Iowa House to bring blue-collar ethics, radical openness, and sincere empathy back to our legislative process in Des Moines.

Growing up in Cedar Falls, I learned the importance of labor and grit from my father, a proud union member at Viking Pump. I carried those lessons into my first jobs, delivering the local courier at 12 and working at McDonald’s by 16. During the mid-seventies, I helped lead a unionization drive at that restaurant; while we didn't prevail against corporate interests, the experience instilled in me a lasting sense of resilience. After graduating from Cedar Falls High in 1976, I dedicated four years to STEM studies at UNI while climbing the ranks into management. My path as a small business owner began in 1988 with my first property investment, eventually resulting in a broker’s license and the creation of North Star, REALTORS in 1995. For two decades, my wife and I managed this local business together until retiring in 2021. This work offered me a front-row seat to the challenges Iowa families face while trying to thrive in a system that frequently neglects the vulnerable. Seeing their persistence firsthand deepened my empathy and patience, fueling my resolve to build a government where no citizen is overlooked or left behind.

District Priorities

Education

A literate society benefits all of us. Education is key to success in life. Any entity receiving public money should be accountable to the public for how those funds are spent. That means strong public schools, honest reporting, and no shortcuts when it comes to our kids’ future.

Health Care

Access to health care is a right. Mental health is as important as physical health. I trust science. No one should have to choose between seeing a doctor and paying the rent. We need policies that put people’s health first, not politics.

Fiscal Responsibility

Government spends your money. We need to be certain we are spending it wisely with as little waste as possible. That means asking hard questions, demanding transparency, and remembering that every dollar comes from a real person who worked for it.

Local Control

I believe that the people closest to problems are the ones best equipped to solve them. In recent years, we have watched state lawmakers strip power away from our local governments with one-size-fits-all mandates. We need to restore and protect local control so that the residents of a community have the final say over what happens in our own backyards.

CALVIN HORN & BENEFIT TO BLACK HAWK COUNTY

House District 76 is a rural, traditionally Republican-leaning seat spanning parts of Black Hawk, Benton, and Tama counties — which makes Calvin Horn's campaign an important test case for how far Black Hawk County Democrats' rural organizing can reach in 2026.

A genuine contest in traditionally red territory. House District 76 has been held by Republicans in recent cycles, and Calvin's willingness to run there gives Black Hawk County Democrats a presence and a message in a part of the county that doesn't always see competitive Democratic campaigns.

An unusually fluid race. The seat's Republican incumbent, Derek Wulf, was tapped in June 2026 to run as the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor alongside gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn — meaning Wulf has withdrawn from the House District 76 race. That opens a genuine window of opportunity for Calvin's campaign heading into the fall.

A rural, evidence-based message. Calvin's focus on public education funding, environmental protection, and local control speaks to the concerns of rural Black Hawk County voters who may not always see themselves reflected in more urban-focused Democratic messaging — an important piece of the county party's broader coalition-building strategy.

Turnout in a competitive statewide year. With Rob Sand, Josh Turek, and Lindsay James all running competitive races in 2026, Calvin's campaign in a rural, historically Republican district helps extend the county Democratic Party's reach beyond Waterloo and Cedar Falls.

Core Beliefs

These are the beliefs that guide every decision I make:

I believe people are good.
I believe everyone should have the same rights as I do.
I believe in God, what you believe is up to you.
I believe in democracy.
I believe we are caretakers of the earth.
I believe children are our future.
I believe no one should go hungry.
I believe the social cost of not helping the less fortunate is far greater than the cost of helping them.

I Need Your Help.

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