DCCC Statement on Joe Mitchell: Des Moines Lobbyist and Connected Political Insider, Career Politician, and Carpetbagger

“Joe Mitchell is a Des Moines lobbyist, connected political insider, career politician, and carpetbagger who just doesn’t get Northeast Iowa. Mitchell is more focused on his next political promotion and schmoozing with Washington politicians than doing anything to lower costs for Iowa families, who will see Mitchell is just out for himself.” 

Get the Facts on Joe Mitchell:

1. Joe Mitchell is a Des Moines insider, career politician, and lobbyist who entered elected office when he was just 21 years old. Mitchell worked for a “multi-client lobbying firm” and “founded a lobby group for Iowa real estate developers.”
2. Mitchell has never lived in Iowa’s second congressional district and is carpetbagging to try to buy himself a seat in Congress.
   • “Mitchell grew up in southeast Iowa and represented the Mount Pleasant area in the Iowa Legislature before moving to Des Moines” – neither Mt. Pleasant, nor Des Moines, are anywhere near Iowa’s second district. 
   • Reporting found that Mitchell “changed his voter registration to a Clear Lake residence shortly before launching his congressional campaign” – just a week before getting in the race. 
3. Mitchell backs the Big, Ugly Bill that slashes Medicaid and rural health care funding – and is already causing clinic closures and layoffs in IA-02.
   • Mitchell touted the Big, Ugly Bill as a clinic in Traer closed its doors, MercyOne announced layoffs in Mason City “cit[ing] federal cuts,” and Iowans are paying more for their health care.
4. Mitchell is an out-of-touch multimillionaire worth up to $20+ million who thinks life is “affordable again” and that the “cost of living is coming down,” despite more Iowans than ever struggling to get by.
5. Mitchell will be a rubber stamp for his party bosses and his rich Washington friends who have backed out-of-touch policies to line their own pockets, while Iowans pay more for everything.
   • Mitchell said that the administration is “doing a good job” with the war in Iran that killed Iowa servicemembers and caused gas prices to skyrocket across IA-02.

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