EXCLUSIVE – Zach Wahls (D-IA) has built his U.S. Senate campaign around a message of standing up for working-class voters, but his time in public offices shows a taste for luxurious hotels, flights to coastal enclaves, and high-end eateries.
Internal Iowa Democratic Party records from Wahls’ time as the Democratic leader in the state senate show thousands of dollars in reimbursements for travel, lodging, and meals, including a string of high-cost flights and hotel stays that far exceed what other party leaders have reported.
Wahls, a Democratic state senator first elected in 2018, is running in a competitive primary against state Rep. Josh Turek for the chance to take on Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA). The race has taken on added significance as Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is set to retire, opening up a potentially competitive seat.
Iowa Democratic Party records obtained and authenticated by the Washington Examiner show that Wahls received nearly $30,000 in reimbursements during his tenure in leadership between November 2020 and June 2023.
The sum is dramatically higher than that claimed by his predecessors. Former Senate Democratic leader Mike Gronstal reported roughly $4,400 in reimbursements over two decades, while more recent leaders, including Rob Hogg, Janet Peterson, and Pam Jochum, each reported roughly $1,100 to $1,500 over their respective tenures, according to public records. The Iowa Democratic Party declined to comment.
Despite serving as Senate Democratic leader for just three years, Wahls’ reimbursements were more than five times higher than the next closest leader, who served for two decades. Overall, Wahls accounted for more than three-quarters of all reimbursements the party has paid to Senate Democratic leaders since 1996, totaling roughly $37,877.
Among the largest individual expenses is a $2,472 Delta flight, listed simply as ‘transportation,’ with no further explanation. But that charge was not an outlier.
Over a short stretch in August 2022, Wahls was reimbursed for a multi-city itinerary that included flights costing $1,708 from New York to San Francisco, $1,268 from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., $1,208 from Los Angeles to New York, $858 from Washington to Cedar Rapids, and $608 for a flight from Cedar Rapids to San Francisco. The cross-country routing, spanning Iowa, California, New York, and Washington, included multiple legs priced well above typical domestic airfare, suggesting premium or last-minute bookings.
The spending extended beyond flights. Records show repeated stays at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, with multiple reimbursements for lodging and food, including several stays costing more than $600 and $700 each. Taken together, those stays totaled nearly $3,000 at the recently renovated property, which markets itself as a high-end destination frequented by celebrities and politicians.
Wahls was also reimbursed nearly $700 for a stay at the Hilton Parc 55 in San Francisco, adding to the total for out-of-state travel. The downtown hotel advertises upscale amenities, including a Michelin-starred restaurant and premium guest experiences.
Over roughly a two-month period in 2022, Wahls was reimbursed for more than $1,000 in restaurant spending, including a $239 charge at a Des Moines seafood restaurant known for high-end offerings such as caviar and Maine lobster. Altogether, the records show more than $13,000 in expenses over that span, covering flights, hotels, meals, and transportation.
One Iowa Democrat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly, said concerns about Wahls’ expenses were widely known among lawmakers, even if they were not publicly aired at the time.
“Expenses … seemed to be very, very outrageous,” the person said, pointing to costly flights and hotel stays that lacked clear justification. The source said frustrations over financial management, combined with other leadership decisions, ultimately helped unify senators against Wahls.
“When we got into private conversations … we think he mismanaged our funds,” the person said, describing a growing internal consensus that contributed to his ouster.
That internal backlash culminated in June 2023, when Iowa Senate Democrats voted to remove Wahls as minority leader and replace him with Sen. Pam Jochum after a swift revolt within the caucus.
The leadership shake-up came after Wahls fired two longtime Democratic Senate staffers, each with more than two decades of experience at the Statehouse, and replaced one with a new hire, a move that sparked backlash among colleagues who viewed it as a break from institutional norms.
In addition to the party reimbursements, federal filings show Wahls also paid himself from his Senate campaign. Between October and December 2025, he received roughly $17,700 in salary from campaign funds, more than most of his staff did over that period.
Wahls’ campaign defended both his compensation and his expenses, arguing they were tied to his fundraising efforts and complied with federal rules.
“Per FEC rules regarding candidate pay, Zach receives a monthly salary of $4,400, which is less than any of our staff who are unionized and enjoy healthy wages and benefits,” campaign manager Anna Brichacek said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner.
She added that Wahls’ higher level of travel during his tenure as Iowa Senate Democratic leader reflected his role in raising money for the party.
“As Iowa Senate Democratic leader, Zach Wahls worked his a** off to raise the money needed to elect more Democrats,” Brichacek said. “That included more fundraising travel and expenses than previous leaders, and as a result, Zach contributed $770,000 in 2022 to the Iowa Democratic Party to help elect more Democrats.”
Wahls’ tenure in leadership coincided with the 2022 elections, during which Democrats in the Iowa state Senate lost two seats.
The scrutiny comes as Wahls appears to be gaining traction in the Democratic primary, fueled by grassroots enthusiasm and his pledge not to support Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as Senate Democratic leader, a position that has resonated with many liberal activists.
Wahls has leaned heavily into a populist message on the campaign trail, framing himself as a champion of working-class voters and a critic of economic and political elites. At a campaign event last week, he argued that “our government cares more about wars in the Middle East than it does about our hard-working families,” while pointing to rising costs for everyday Americans.
“We are in a hard time right now,” Wahls said, citing higher prices for groceries, housing, childcare, and prescription drugs. He added that his own family’s daycare costs rival their mortgage, underscoring his argument that the economic system is failing working parents.
That message has been reinforced by organized labor’s support. Wahls has been endorsed by Teamsters Local 238, the largest local labor union in Iowa, along with a slate of labor leaders across the state.
“I’m honored to earn the endorsement,” Wahls said, arguing that Iowa workers need leaders who will take on corporate special interests that drive up costs and drive down wages.
The Democratic primary between Wahls and Turek has received relatively little national attention compared to higher-profile contests elsewhere, but it is emerging as a test of the party’s internal divide. Turek, a Paralympian representing a red-leaning district near the Nebraska border, is widely seen as aligned with Senate Democratic leadership and has been endorsed by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), while Wahls has drawn backing from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Public polling in the race has been limited. A February internal survey from the Wahls campaign showed him leading Turek 42% to 24%, while a separate poll conducted by the National Republican Senatorial Committee found Wahls ahead by a narrower margin, 30% to 23%.
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Wahls, who rose quickly within the Iowa Democratic Party, built a national profile that began with his viral speech as a teenager advocating for same-sex marriage rights. Wahls was raised by lesbian parents.
The Iowa Democrat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said questions about Wahls’ past leadership decisions and financial management could become a liability in a general election, even as the primary remains difficult to predict, adding that Rep. Ashley Hinson is “very hard to beat,” regardless of the nominee.
