Zach Nunn

A state senator from central Iowa has decided to pass on a run for the Third District Congressional seat.

Zach Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, had been conducting a listening tour across the 16 counties of the district as he contemplated running in the GOP primary. Nunn now says he’ll instead join an international election monitoring team that will deploy to Ukraine this week for a snap Parliamentary election.

Nunn is a former White House cybersecurity director and he served in the military. Nunn’s decision to not run leaves four declared candidates for the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Democrat Cindy Axne in 2020.

The challengers include David Young — who Axne defeated in the last election — retired Army Colonel Bill Schafer, marketing professional Joshua Schoenblatt and Ankeny School Board Member Brad Huss.