Iowa Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott is an extremist running for Congress in the state's 3rd District. In the past, she's accused Iowans of being racist, wants socialized medicine, and she's lied about her record on men in women's sports, their locker rooms and parental rights.
Now she's back and her campaign is running another ad attacking Rep. Zach Nunn's record. In the misleading ad, Trone Garriott falsely claimed that Nunn voted to "keep the names in the Epstein files hidden from the public" and took donations from billionaires. This ignores a fact that's inconvenient for Trone Garriott's campaign: Nunn voted to release the Epstein files.
It also ignores the fact that if Trone Garriott wants to talk about Jeffrey Epstein, she's got some serious questions of her own to answer.
Trone Garriott proudly touts support from political organizations backed by Reid Hoffman, the billionaire who helped Jeffrey Epstein rehab his image after Epstein's conviction. This includes being endorsed by Welcome PAC, which Hoffman has contributed more than $1.8 million towards.
Welcome PAC has donated thousands to Trone Garriott's campaign.
Welcomepac spends $42,992 to SUPPORT Christina Bohannan (Hse IA-01)(D),
— CapitolHillAccess.com (@traymond071187) July 10, 2026
$12,897 to SUPPORT Sarah Trone garriott (Hse IA-03)(D),
$12,897 to SUPPORT Kristen Mcdonald rivet (Hse MI-08)(D),
$60,283 to SUPPORT Jamie Ager (Hse NC-11)(D),
$12,897 to SUPPORT Paige Cognetti (Hse… pic.twitter.com/hKTn8fk6Vt
This includes $7,323 on text messaging, digital advertising, and production.
Welcomepac spends $7,323.81 on text messaging, digital advertising & production - estimate for Sarah Trone Garriott (D-IA03) G2026.
— PAC Watch (@PAC_watch) September 17, 2026
They have now spent $46,498.26 for Trone Garriott this cycle.
Disbursed 09/14/2026
Filed 09/16/2026
All told, WelcomePAC has spent more than $46,000 on Trone Garriott as of September 17.
Reid Hoffman also supports Bench, a "left-of-center super PAC aiming to revamp the Democratic Party from the inside." Trone Garriott touts Bench as one of her supporters.
Trone Garriott is also one of just 13 senators who voted in the Iowa State House to protect predators like Jeffrey Epstein. In March 2023, she voted against SF 525, a criminal justice bill that includes eliminating the statute of limitations for crimes involving the continuous sexual abuse of a child, and kidnapping a child in connection with sexual abuse. That bill also included protections allowing certain child victims to testify through a recorded interview rather than in the presence of the defendant if testifying in person could cause significant emotional or psychological harm. It ultimately passed the Iowa Senate 31-13.
When recently confronted about this vote, Trone Garriott wouldn't explain it. She walked away from the question.
It's not the first time Trone Garriott's record doesn't match her campaign rhetoric. She voted to allow men into girls' sports and private spaces (including bathrooms), she co-sponsored legislation to teach sex education to kindergartners, and couldn't defend that position, either.
"Sarah Trone Garriott is hoping Iowans won't notice she's lying again," said NRCC spokeswoman Emily Tuttle. "Zach Nunn voted to release the Epstein files, while she is backed by groups funded by a known Epstein associate and voted to protect sexual predators. If Sarah Trone Garriott wants to have this conversation, she should start by answering her own record."