Aime Wichtendahl

Aime Wichtendahl

Democratic Party

Candidate, Iowa House of Representatives District 80

Iowa House of Representatives District 80

Tenure

2025 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

1

Predecessor: Art Staed (D)

Compensation

Base salary

$25,000

Per diem

Outside Polk County: $201/day; within Polk County: $150.75/day.

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 2, 2026

Next election

November 3, 2026

Education

High school

La Salle High School

Bachelor's

Mount Mercy University, 2005

Personal

Birthplace

St. Paul, MN

Religion

Non-practicing

Profession

Customer service representative

Contact

Official website

Official TikTok

Campaign website

Campaign X

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Aime Wichtendahl (Democratic Party) is a member of the Iowa House of Representatives, representing District 80. She assumed office on January 1, 2025. Her current term ends on January 1, 2027.

Wichtendahl (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the Iowa House of Representatives to represent District 80. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. She advanced from the Democratic primary on June 2, 2026.

Biography

Aime Wichtendahl was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. She earned a high school diploma from La Salle High School and a bachelor's degree from Mount Mercy University in 2005. Her career experience includes working as a customer service representative, retirement plan specialist, and website designer. She has been affiliated with the American Federation of Musicians Local 137.

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Committee assignments

2025-2026

Wichtendahl was assigned to the following committees:

• Economic Growth Committee
• House Local Government Committee
• House Veterans Affairs Committee
• House Ways and Means Committee

Elections

2026

See also: Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2026

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for Iowa House of Representatives District 80

Incumbent Aime Wichtendahl (D) is running in the general election for Iowa House of Representatives District 80 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Aime Wichtendahl (D)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary

Democratic primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 80

Incumbent Aime Wichtendahl (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 80 on June 2, 2026.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Aime Wichtendahl	99.6	2,570
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4%	10

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,580
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary

The Republican primary scheduled for June 2, 2026, was canceled.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• John Thompson (R)

Endorsements

See also: Our approach to covering endorsements

Aime Wichtendahl received the following endorsements and voter guide recommendations. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

• Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
• Iowa State Education Association
• Todd Squad Endorsements (Sway voting group by Emma Todd)
• Trans Rights are Human Rights - Amplify Respect (Sway voting group by Rey Katz)

2024

See also: Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Iowa House of Representatives District 80

Aime Wichtendahl defeated John Thompson in the general election for Iowa House of Representatives District 80 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Aime Wichtendahl (D)	52.3	9,070
		John Thompson (R)	47.6	8,242
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	17

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 17,329
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 80

Aime Wichtendahl advanced from the Democratic primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 80 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Aime Wichtendahl	99.0	383
		Other/Write-in votes	1.0	4

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 387
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 80

John Thompson advanced from the Republican primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 80 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Thompson	98.3	410
		Other/Write-in votes	1.7	7

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 417
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

See also: Our approach to covering endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements or voter guide recommendations for Wichtendahl in this election.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Aime Wichtendahl has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Aime Wichtendahl asking her to fill out the survey. If you are Aime Wichtendahl, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

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You can ask Aime Wichtendahl to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing info@aimewichtendahl.com.

2024

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released December 11, 2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Aime Wichtendahl completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Wichtendahl's responses.

Expand All

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Aime Wichtendahl was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, but grew up in Newhall, IA. She graduated from Mount Mercy University in 2005 with degrees in Journalism and Political Science. She was first elected to the Hiawatha City Council in 2015, and re-elected without opposition in 2019 and 2023.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Restore Iowa's first in the nation public education system. Despite having record budget surpluses - The Iowa Legislature has defunded public education - funding it below the inflation rate for almost a decade. We must fund public education and eliminate the voucher program, which is turning into a costly, unaccountable boondoggle.
• Improving quality of life in Iowa. It is no secret that Iowans are struggling. We need to raise wages to compete with neighboring states. We need to bring down the cost of housing, by incentivizing new construction and preventing market speculation. We can use part of the budget surplus for tax credits to offset child care. We also need to stop the brain drain that plagues Iowa by bringing high paying jobs to the state and stop the government from engaging in culture war nonsense.
• Reaffirm Iowa values toward personal freedom: Protect reproductive healthcare and codify Roe V Wade into Iowa law. Keep the government out of other personal healthcare decisions such a gender affirming care. Legalize recreational marijuana.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education, Workforce, Minimum wage, Personal freedom, local government

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my dad - for always being an inspiration and role model. I also am inspired by Kurt Vonnegut Jr - because we all need the ability to laugh at the absurdities of life.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The 2011 book the Butterfly and the Flame.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe it is the job of elected officials to improve the lives of their constituents and to solve the problems of the day. I also believe that Americans of different political parties should never see the other side as enemies.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am diplomatic and also a bit of a nerd. I strive to understand as much as I can about an issue and the complex impact and nature that policy can have.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To represent their district, to provide services and inquires from their constituents, and to serve on the numerous committees.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to know that people are better off, happier, and less divided after my term in office.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The Challenger Disaster - I was six.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Paul Revere's Pizza - 1 year.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - because no matter what happens in life, Don't panic! and know where your towel is.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Commander Shepard - Mass Effect

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Master of Puppets by Metallica

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Making ends meet.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Balanced. Both have important roles to play, but it is important to note that both branches are co-equal under the Iowa Constitution. The governor should not be primarying members of the legislature for representing the wishes of the constituents.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Education, Economic Development, brain drain and water quality.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes - the erosion of Home Rule and local control in Iowa is a direct result of most members having no experience in local government.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Yes - personal growth and trust is key to any work environment and it is essential to passing good laws in Iowa.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Iowa State Senator Liz Bennett, VA State Senator Danica Roem

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

At this time my only concern is being the best representative in the Iowa House for District 80.

Tell us your favorite joke.

A horse walks into a bar and the bartender says, "Why the long face."

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

During my tenure with the City of Hiawatha it was necessary to grant Emergency Powers twice - once during the COVID emergency and second during the Derecho. Emergency powers must be overseen by a representative body and they must be in limited duration, and removed once the emergency has passed.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

Repealing the changes made to the AEAs

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

State Representative Art Staed

State Senator Todd Taylor Fmr State Representative Marti Anderson Victory Fund

AFL-CIO

What committees interest you?

Education, Local Government, Ways and Means, Judiciary, Transportation, Workforce, and Veterans Affairs

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Strongly in favor. This is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Government should always open its budget for scrutiny. The legislature should not be passing laws to make it harder for the State auditor to do his job. Working in local government we have also sought to increase transparency into our bookkeeping and welcome the auditor's involvement.

Would a state ballot initiative process be good or bad for your state?

Good.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Aime Wichtendahl campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024	Iowa House of Representatives District 80	Won general	$97,426	$69,101
Grand total			$97,426	$69,101
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Election Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards, State legislative scorecards in Iowa

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

• 2025

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Iowa General Assembly in 2025.

• The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.

See also

2026 Elections

What's on the ballot? Iowa U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. CongressState executivesState legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal governmentList of school districts in Iowa

Newsletters

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External links

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Candidate

Iowa House of Representatives District 80

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Iowa House of Representatives District 80

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Art Staed (D)	Iowa House of Representatives District 80 2025-Present	Succeeded by -

[show]

Current members of the Iowa House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Pat Grassley

Majority Leader:Bobby Kaufmann

Minority Leader:Brian Meyer

Representatives

District 1

J.D. Scholten (D)

District 2

Robert Henderson (R)

District 3

Thomas Jeneary (R)

District 4

Skyler Wheeler (R)

District 5

Zach Dieken (R)

District 6

Megan Jones (R)

District 7

Wendy Larson (R)

District 8

Ann Meyer (R)

District 9

Henry Stone (R)

District 10

John Wills (R)

District 11

Craig Williams (R)

District 12

Steven Holt (R)

District 13

Travis Sitzmann (R)

District 14

Jacob Bossman (R)

District 15

Matt Windschitl (R)

District 16

David Sieck (R)

District 17

Devon Wood (R)

District 18

Tom Moore (R)

District 19

Brent Siegrist (R)

District 20

Josh Turek (D)

District 21

Brooke Boden (R)

District 22

Samantha Fett (R)

District 23

Ray Sorensen (R)

District 24

Sam Wengryn (R)

District 25

Hans Wilz (R)

District 26

Austin Harris (R)

District 27

Kenan Judge (D)

District 28

David Young (R)

District 29

Brian Meyer (D)

District 30

Megan Srinivas (D)

District 31

Mary Madison (D)

District 32

Jennifer Konfrst (D)

District 33

Ruth Gaines (D)

District 34

Rob Johnson (D)

District 35

Sean Bagniewski (D)

District 36

Austin Baeth (D)

District 37

Barb McCulla (R)

District 38

Vacant

District 39

Rick Olson (D)

District 40

Bill Gustoff (R)

District 41

Ryan Weldon (R)

District 42

Heather Matson (D)

District 43

Eddie Andrews (R)

District 44

Larry McBurney (D)

District 45

Brian Lohse (R)

District 46

Dan Gehlbach (R)

District 47

Carter Nordman (R)

District 48

Chad Behn (R)

District 49

Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D)

District 50

Ross Wilburn (D)

District 51

Brett Barker (R)

District 52

David Blom (R)

District 53

Dean Fisher (R)

District 54

Joshua Meggers (R)

District 55

Shannon Latham (R)

District 56

Mark Thompson (R)

District 57

Pat Grassley (R)

District 58

Charley Thomson (R)

District 59

Christian Hermanson (R)

District 60

Jane Bloomingdale (R)

District 61

Timi Brown-Powers (D)

District 62

Jerome Amos (D)

District 63

Michael Bergan (R)

District 64

Jason Gearhart (R)

District 65

Shannon Lundgren (R)

District 66

Steven Bradley (R)

District 67

Craig Johnson (R)

District 68

Chad Ingels (R)

District 69

Tom Determann (R)

District 70

Norlin Mommsen (R)

District 71

Lindsay James (D)

District 72

Jennifer Smith (R)

District 73

Elizabeth Wilson (D)

District 74

Eric Gjerde (D)

District 75

Bob Kressig (D)

District 76

Derek Wulf (R)

District 77

Jeff Cooling (D)

District 78

Angel Ramirez (D)

District 79

Tracy Ehlert (D)

District 80

Aime Wichtendahl (D)

District 81

Daniel Gosa (D)

District 82

Bobby Kaufmann (R)

District 83

Cindy Golding (R)

District 84

Thomas Gerhold (R)

District 85

Amy Nielsen (D)

District 86

David Jacoby (D)

District 87

Jeff Shipley (R)

District 88

Helena Hayes (R)

District 89

Elinor Levin (D)

District 90

Adam Zabner (D)

District 91

Judd Lawler (R)

District 92

Heather Hora (R)

District 93

Gary Mohr (R)

District 94

Mike Vondran (R)

District 95

Taylor Collins (R)

District 96

Mark Cisneros (R)

District 97

Ken Croken (D)

District 98

Monica Kurth (D)

District 99

Matthew Rinker (R)

District 100

Blaine Watkins (R)

Republican Party (66)

Democratic Party (33)

Vacancies (1)

Capital: Des Moines

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