Meet J.D. Scholten

Born in Ames and raised in Sioux City, J.D. Scholten is a 5th generation Iowan. J.D. served as the 2018 Democratic nominee against Rep. Steve King in Iowa’s 4th District, earning nationwide attention for his people-powered grassroots campaign that fell just 3 points short in a district that Donald Trump won by 27 points in 2016. He played baseball at Morningside College and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After college, he pursued a professional baseball career and pitched in 7 different countries. He then worked as a paralegal, specializing in Intellectual Property and trials law, but found his true passion in helping others through pro-bono cases. He later launched his congressional campaign and continues to be a powerful voice for rural, working, and underserved communities in Iowa.