A former Iowa National Guardsman from Des Moines is seeking next year’s Democratic nomination in Iowa’s third congressional district, for the chance to challenge Republican Congressman Zach Nunn of Bondurant.
Democrat Lanon Baccam was born and raised in Mount Pleasant. His parents came to Iowa from Laos. Baccam got his parent’s permission to join the Iowa National Guard at the age of 17 and, in 2004, he did a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Baccam worked for former Governor Tom Vilsack at the USDA. Vilsack, a former mayor of Mount Pleasant, and his wife, Christie, have endorsed Baccam this morning.
Baccam said “our politics is more divided than ever” and Congressman Nunn is “part of the problem.” Nunn will be seeking a second term in the U-S House next November. Nunn defeated Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne last year by less than 1% of the vote.