Deaconess Irene DeMaris grew up in rural Washington state, where she often got in trouble for driving too fast down gravel roads in the family pickup. She moved to Iowa in 2018 after meeting her now husband. Irene lives in Des Moines, where she is active in her faith community, enjoys riding her bike, and is converting her lawn into a pollinator paradise.

I don’t always get excited about candidates running for office. But when I heard Wade Dooley was running for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture as a Democrat, I was so genuinely thrilled that I startled my two Corgis.

Since moving to Iowa in late 2018, I’ve traveled across the state, listening to rural communities and learning how farming deeply shapes both our economy, and even more so, our identity. One thing has become abundantly clear: when farmers are empowered to lead, big things happen. Farmers are natural problem-solvers, called to work the land, adapt to challenges, and innovate. They already are, and must continue to be, leaders in climate solutions.

Wade Dooley is exactly that kind of leader.

A sixth-generation farmer on his family’s land in Marshall County, Wade has spent nearly two decades stewarding fields along the Iowa River and its floodplain since coming home after college. His family farm has become a model of what Iowa agriculture can be: improving soil health, protecting our water, investing in long-term sustainability, and embracing climate-smart practices. Wade does not just talk about the future of agriculture; he demonstrates it every single day.

I have met Wade several times, and he has always struck me as salt of the earth, incredibly smart and savvy, observant, and deeply kind. Whenever I come across articles where he is quoted, he is clear, concise, and forward-looking. He invites people into the conversation rather than shutting them out, which is a rare and invaluable quality in public leadership.

Wade has earned a reputation as one of Iowa’s forward-thinking voices in regenerative agriculture. He understands the business of farming and the great responsibility that comes with it. Most importantly, Wade is rooted in authenticity. He listens deeply, respects where farmers are coming from, and helps build bridges.

I do not make this personal endorsement lightly. I work in the environmental space and have immense respect for Iowa’s farmers and rural communities. I live in Des Moines and worry about nitrate levels in my own drinking water. I believe Iowa can lead the nation in climate-smart agriculture. And I have spent years traveling across the state listening to rural communities share what is on their hearts. Those experiences have shaped my understanding of what is at stake and why strong agricultural leadership matters.

Since Wade’s campaign launch, I’ve had the opportunity to watch him engage with Iowans and the media, and one thing stuck out to me: he’s unafraid to call out and call in Iowa Democrats who have been quick to malign our farmers who have tried to do the right thing.

“Farmers are on debt treadmills for the most part. They’re all trying to do what’s best for their family, they’re also trying to do what’s best for their land, they’re also trying to do what’s best for their community, but at the end of the day, they’ve got to make their bank payment,” Dooley said during a Radio Iowa interview.

He went on: “…It’s really frustrating, then, to hear people in the Democratic Party blaming farmers saying, ‘Well, it’s their fault they’re doing it.’ They’re doing it, in part, because they’re forced. They’re trying to save their farms.” Amen.

Iowa faces very real challenges in agriculture from clean water to volatile markets to soil degradation. We need a secretary of agriculture who not only understands the science and the economics, but who sees the potential in rural communities and believes that farmers can lead our state into the future.

Wade Dooley can do that. And I believe he can win our state. Wade has my full support and I hope you will join me.

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Editor’s note: Bleeding Heartland welcomes guest commentaries by any Democratic candidate running for office in 2026, or by their supporters. Please read these guidelines and contact Laura Belin if you are interested in writing.