Iowa's Christian Nationalist Cabal

How A Religious Minority Amplifies Its Influence To Impose a Theocracy On the State through Christian Nationalism- by Daniel Henderson, March 12, 2026

Iowa has become homophobic, anti-DEI, bans books, has ended a woman’s right to choose abortion, restricts teaching of true American history, and our governor supports extreme ICE tactics against immigrants and refugees. It is a greatest hits of mean-spiritedness and religiously inspired discriminatory legislation in our history.

I am a life-long Iowan. Over the past 10 years, I have asked the same question that I hear from many of my fellow Iowa lifers….

“What the hell has happened to Iowa?”

My Iowa was always a pragmatic state with both conservative and progressive leanings. Finding the middle ground between those conservative and progressive ideals was the norm. I have always felt at home here, whether the governor was Harold Hughes, Robert Ray, Chet Culver, or Terry Branstad.

Iowa was the third state to approve same sex marriage in 2009, a full six years before the Supreme Court ruled that it was constitutional. I was proud of Iowa for taking such a stand.

Iowa propelled Barack Obama to his first primary win in the 2008 Presidential campaign and toward the presidency. Iowa also included transgender folks in its civil rights law in 2007.

There has, however, always been a dark, racist underbelly even here in Iowa. I have discovered that my own great-grandfather was a member of the Ku Klux Klan in Harrison County in the 1920s. Iowa is not immune to bigoted extremes. But that is the point, they were always kept at the margins. Or so I thought! So, what-the-hell-happened?

In a phrase….White Christian Nationalism!

The state of Iowa has been hijacked by an extreme religious faction that does not represent the best of Iowa’s history or culture. They represent a subculture of exclusive and bigoted religiosity that is a fake form of Christianity. Their goal is to impose a theocratic state government on the people of Iowa.

My goal for this post is to tell you who they are and how they work. I want to encourage Iowans to take back their state from this imposter pseudo-religious group. Return Iowa to its roots… pragmatism, accommodation, inclusion, compassion, and compromise.

And…uphold the constitutional principle of the separation of church and state!

How Many Iowans Are White Christian Nationalists?

For those Iowans who love their country, fly the flag, and say “God Bless America” or “One Nation Under God,” that is not Christian nationalism. There has always been an accepted “civic religion” in Iowa that recognized the religious influence on the state and the nation, while also respecting the diversity and pluralism that the country embodies. This civic religion is not exclusive, mean, or bigoted.

I’m talking about something else altogether. There is a red line of religious nationalist ideology that is being crossed and erased by those who claim to be Christian. It is dark and distorts the common patriotism most people feel.

It is ultra-religious nationalism that is rooted in white supremacy.

For this article, it will be important to identify just who we are talking about when using the term “white Christian nationalist.” Using the Public Religion Research Institute’s framework to identify Christian nationalist beliefs will provide context applicable not only in Iowa but across the nation.

PRRI uses the following five questions to identify degrees of Christian nationalist sentiment. This recognizes that some people may be “adherents,” “sympathetic,” “skeptics,” or “rejecters.”

Here is how the scale works on a series of five questions:

• Adherents: Completely agree with or support these ideas. (1 pt.)

• Sympathizers: Generally agree with these statements but not completely (.667 pts)

• Skeptics generally disagree with the statements. (.333 pts.)

• Rejecters: Disagree completely with all five statements. (0 pts.)

Using the associated point system, it is easy to add up your total points for each question and divide by five to get your “Christian nationalist” score. Here are the five statements. Answer them for yourself and see where you might fit along this scale:

“The U.S. government should declare America a Christian nation.”

“U.S. laws should be based on Christian values.”

“If the U.S. moves away from our Christian foundations, we will not have a country anymore.”

“Being Christian is an important part of being truly American.”“God has called Christians to exercise dominion over all areas of American society.”

In the 2025 PRRI study, conducted across the United States and including around 22,000 respondents, here are the results for the nation as a whole. Approximately 11% of Americans are considered “adherents” (hard-core CNs), and around 21% are “sympathizers.” So, roughly, 32% of Americans have some degree of alignment with these beliefs, just under a third.

More important than these percentages is how these beliefs predict or are correlated with other behaviors and ideas. Adherents and sympathizers are strongly correlated in all 50 states with favorable views of President Donald Trump and the proportion of Republican representation in state legislatures.

Additionally, these views are most highly correlated with white Protestant Christians.

How does Iowa compare to the national profile? In Iowa, the combined adherent and sympathizer categories are 35%, four percentage points above the national average. Since these beliefs are highly correlated with white Protestant Christianity, it is no surprise that Iowa has a slightly higher percentage of Christian nationalists.

However, this leaves about 60% of Iowans who are either skeptics or rejecters of Christian nationalism, and it begs an important question. How can a voting bloc that represents only 35% of the state have such disproportionate influence over Iowa’s culture and law?

White Christian nationalists are a minority in the State of Iowa….so….

How Did Christian Nationalists Gain Control of Iowa?

It doesn’t take a majority voting bloc to grab power for their in-group; just a few motivated people. In the case of white Christian nationalists in Iowa, there are several components in place that other groups or voting blocs do not.

Here are four components that allow white Christian nationalists to inflict their abusive theocratic policies on the state, even though they are a minority:

1. They control the Republican Party and the state legislature.

2. There is a direct church-to-government pipeline.

3. White Christian nationalists are affirmed weekly in their churches.

4. There is a connection to national Christian Nationalist organizations that provide money and contacts.

   
   

Christian Nationalists Control the Republican Party in Iowa

Even though only 35% of Iowans generally ascribe to Christian nationalist beliefs, within the Republican Party, that number rises to 56%. The trend toward Christian nationalist domination of the GOP began decades ago. I witnessed it happening at the precinct level in the 1980s. Today, it is safe to call the Republican Party in Iowa a “Christian” political party.

Because Republicans control both houses of the Iowa legislature, and they have a sympathetic governor, they can jam through most of their culture war, religious preferences, and impose them on the rest of the state.

Some of the more outspoken Christian nationalists in the Iowa legislation include:

Jon Dunwell (State Representative from Newton)

An evangelical pastor who has publicly supported religiously themed legislation, such as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, was signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds. He also supports not allowing for gender affirming care for transgender youth, even with parental support.

Brett Barker (State Representative from Des Moines)

Brett Barker has acknowledged he made a “rookie mistake” when he authorized the distribution of a right-wing Christian pamphlet to all of his Iowa House colleagues in March last year. Barker, however, has not publicly disavowed the contents of the weekly “Bible Study,” which portrays political adversaries as tools of Satan, calls on believers to “evangelize their colleagues,” depicts same-sex marriage and LGBTQ existence as “satanic perversions,” and condemns “women’s liberation” as a “scheme of the devil.”

Zach Dieken (State Representative from Granville)

In late 2023, Dieken explicitly called for Christian faith to play a larger role in government, advocating for a “biblical answer” to public policy questions and criticizing the “myth of neutrality” in politics. In January, he announced he would not seek re-election in the fall.

Samantha Fett (State Representative from Carlisle)

She has sponsored legislation aimed at expanding student religious and political speech rights in schools, which was identified in the context of advancing a Christian nationalist agenda. This includes Christian chaplains and Bible courses in the curriculum.

Skyler Wheeler (State Representative from Orange City):

Wheeler is identified as a top conservative legislator who champions issues often prioritized by Christian nationalist groups, including school choice (private school vouchers) and strict anti-abortion legislation. He supports virtually every anti-gay, anti-public school, and anti-racial history bill that comes to the floor.

Kim Reynolds (Governor of the State of Iowa)

Her actions, such as proclaiming a 99-county Bible reading marathon, have led to public comments accusing her of promoting Christian nationalist ideals. Reynolds closely aligns with The Family Leader, a conservative Christian organization led by Bob Vander Plaats, to advance religious and socially conservative policies. They collaborate on initiatives like abortion restrictions, school choice (ESAs), and opposing "radical gender ideology.” Reynolds frequently speaks at their summits.

In mentioning The Family Leader, it is important to understand the direct pipeline between Christian nationalist legislators and this religious right-wing extremist organization.

The Family Leader - The Church Pipeline to Iowa Government

The Family Leader (TFL) is a powerful Iowa-based socially conservative Christian organization that functions as a major influencer, lobbyist, and kingmaker within the Iowa Republican Party.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) identifies The Family Leader (TFL) as a state-level affiliate or partner of the Family Research Council (FRC), which the SPLC designates as an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group.

Led by President and CEO Bob Vander Plaats, the organization works to influence policy by supporting "Christian statesmen," vetting candidates, and mobilizing evangelical voters to align state laws with socially conservative, religious principles.

It is a clear violation and blurring of the separation of church and state.

TFL is the pipeline between churches and the state government. TFL is heavily involved in drafting and pushing legislation around "culture war" issues, including Iowa’s six-week abortion ban, private school scholarships (Education Savings Accounts), and restrictions on LGBTQ rights. They advocate for policies based on what they call biblical values, such as defining life as beginning at conception and limiting LGBTQ rights.

TFL is deeply embedded in the Iowa statehouse, with its lobbyists and leadership frequently present, such as VP and Chief Counsel Chuck Hurley, a former Republican member of the Iowa Legislature.

The Family Leader works closely with top Iowa GOP leadership, including Governor Kim Reynolds, who has praised the organization's influence on state policy. They reward her greatly.

Churches Are Preaching Christian Nationalism Weekly

Though church attendance and membership have been declining in Iowa, those churches that are still active under the “evangelical” umbrella tend to reinforce the messages of Christian nationalism every week. The Family Leader partners with a network of over 700 primarily evangelical and conservative Christian churches across the state to influence public policy. For instance, Monte and Peggy Knudsen are senior pastors at the Faith Christian Outreach Church in Mt. Pleasant, but also serve on the Board of TFL.

One of the primary ways TFL influences local churches in Iowa is through the Church Ambassador Network. Working from the offices of TFL, the mission of this initiative is, in their own words, to:

“Inspire the Church to engage government for the advance of God’s Kingdom.”

Their strategy includes:

“Inspire pastors to engage in shepherd-to-shepherd relationships.”

“The Church Ambassador Network exists to connect the shepherds of the church with the shepherds of government. Pastors are uniquely equipped to point our government leaders to Christ, fill the Capitol with the Lord’s teaching, and partner with government leaders to solve the problems facing our communities.”

Through programs like these, Iowa churchgoers in evangelical-conservative spaces are being fed a constant stream of Christian nationalist ideology, and are encouraged to “vote their values.”

National Connections & Funding

Of course, groups like the Family Leader and other lobbying groups are connected to a larger Christian nationalist network nationally. Bob Vander Platts is well-connected in GOP conservative circles, even having served as Mike Huckabee’s Iowa campaign chair.

According to Influence Watch, Vander Platts receives a salary of $196,000. Funding comes from both state and national sources. The website states:

Donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses fund the Family Leader. While the Family Leader does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Susan B. Anthony List ($100,000 in 2018), the Family Policy Alliance ($70,833 in 2014), and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation ($15,000 in 2014).

Though these sums seem modest, much of the Family Leader influence comes through their sister organization, The Family Leader Foundation, their funding statement identifies some of the sources:

Donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses fund the Family Leader Foundation. While the Family Leader Foundation does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from Wallbuilder Presentations ($500,000 in 2016), the Servant Foundation ($25,000 in 2019), and the Mercer Family Foundation ($25,000 in 2017).

Vander Platts also serves as the President of the Foundation. Though he technically receives a $0 salary for that position, the website states that his salary is funded by “related organizations” to the tune of $177,715. In other words, much of his income comes from national Christian nationalist organizations. These donations keep him in the kingmaking role.

The Leader’s influence spreads well beyond the borders of Iowa. Through the Daniel Impact, they are strategically exporting their model across the nation through independent, state-based organizations connected through the Family Policy Alliance.

TFL provides each participating state organization with training, mentoring, and shared best practices to help implement the strategy’s key element—a Church Ambassador Network—in each state.

So far, this model has been exported to 20 states, including Texas, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. It is noteworthy that many of these states are battleground states.

This infrastructure has taken years to build, and it will not disappear soon. Iowa voters who oppose theocracy and respect the separation of church and state will need to organize and vote. As long as they control the Republican Party, they will be a force within the state. Motivating voters to oppose their agenda will be key to keeping Iowa a welcoming state for everyone.

I want my Iowa back.