On Nov. 6, voters in the 37th District of Iowa will choose between Democratic candidate Zach Wahls and Libertarian candidate Carl Krambeck to represent them in the Iowa State Senate. After interviewing both candidates, the DI endorses Zach Wahls for the position, confident that he will express the best interests of the district in the Legislature, which covers parts of Cedar County and Johnson County and Coralville.

Wahls has been a long-time advocate for LGBTQ rights, and he first became involved in politics in a moving speech about his family before an Iowa legislative committee. At 19, Wahls made it apparent that he was an advocate for marginalized members of society and was proof that same-sex couples deserve the same respect and legitimacy as other married couples in America. His courage to stand up and speak on behalf of this community prompted him to become an author, journalist, and activist.

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Wahls was also a featured as a speaker at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. He is a University of Iowa alum and recently graduated with a master’s in public affairs from Princeton. Wahls has also been a columnist at the DI.

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Wahls highlights increasing funding for higher education, returning full state control of Medicaid, and supporting environmentally friendly policies. Additionally, he has advocated for workers’ rights and strengthening collective-bargaining abilities for public-sector unions in his campaign for the state Senate.