An Iowa state lawmaker became the second Republican candidate in a single day to step away from a major race, underscoring a growing sense of instability inside the GOP as the midterm elections approach.
State Representative Shannon Lundgren announced that she is suspending her campaign for Congress, saying the decision followed serious conversations with her family and a reassessment of where she believes she can be most effective.
“After careful consideration and discussion with my family, I have made the difficult but clear decision to suspend my campaign for Congress,” Lundgren said in a statement.
Lundgren, who describes herself as an “America First wife, mom and grandma” and an early supporter of former President Donald Trump, did not reference national political controversies or unrest in neighboring Minnesota. Instead, she framed her exit as a choice to remain focused on state-level issues.
“The challenges facing Iowa families are urgent,” she said, adding that her “voice and experience are most needed in the Iowa Legislature right now.”
Her announcement came just hours after another high-profile Republican departure. Chris Madel, a leading GOP candidate for governor in Minnesota, also ended his campaign on Monday, but for sharply different reasons.
Madel directly criticized actions taken during the Trump administration, particularly immigration enforcement practices in his home state. He said he could no longer stay silent about what he described as discriminatory treatment of U.S. citizens.
He pointed to “countless United States citizens who have been detained in Minnesota due to the color of their skin,” and said he had personally spoken with law enforcement officers, including Hispanic and Asian officers, who were stopped by ICE under questionable circumstances.
“Driving while Hispanic is not a crime,” Madel said. “Neither is driving while Asian.”
He told supporters that fear has become part of daily life for many Americans of color, claiming some citizens now carry documents to prove their citizenship. “That’s wrong,” he said.
Political observers say the back-to-back exits reflect deeper problems for Republicans as the election cycle intensifies. Campaign strategist Jacob Perry said Lundgren’s decision is unlikely to be an isolated case.
“You’re going to start seeing a lot of this,” Perry said, pointing to mounting pressure inside the party.
So far this term, 28 Republicans have either left Congress or announced they will not seek reelection. Democrats are experiencing similar attrition, with 23 lawmakers stepping aside, but strategists largely agree the political momentum favors Democrats heading into November.
Many analysts predict that Democrats are well-positioned to reclaim control of the House, citing voter backlash, internal GOP divisions, and controversy surrounding former President Trump.
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville added to that narrative last week, arguing that Trump’s failed effort to acquire Greenland and the global backlash that followed could have serious electoral consequences.
“He has to be electorally humiliated,” Carville said, predicting significant Republican losses in the midterms.
As more candidates reassess their political futures, both parties are bracing for an election season shaped as much by who is leaving the race as by who remains in it.