Third-party presidential hopefuls, congressional candidates to speak at Iowa State Fair

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. spoke the Des Moines Register soapbox Aug. 12, 2023. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Ten candidates will speak at the Des Moines Register’s political soapbox during the Iowa State Fair this year — including two candidates running for the presidency, the Register reported .

There will be fewer presidential candidates at the fair this year compared to 2023, when GOP presidential hopefuls flooded the Iowa State Fairgrounds in the lead-up to the January Iowa Republican caucuses. However, there still will be two presidential candidates speaking at the soapbox this year — independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as Libertarian Chase Oliver. Both candidates, scheduled to speak Saturday, also attended and spoke at the 2023 state fair.

Kennedy, during the previous state fair, was campaigning as a Democratic challenger to President Joe Biden, then the party’s presumptive 2024 nominee, who easily won in the Democratic presidential nominating cycle. Kennedy announced he would pursue a campaign as an independent candidate in October 2023.

Biden has since said he will not accept the position as nominee, instead endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place at the top of the ticket.

Oliver also campaigned as an alternative to both former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, and Biden at the previous state fair , saying that voters were looking for politicians outside the two major parties.

A majority of the speakers at the political soapbox this year are congressional candidates running in the 2024 general election. Those candidates include multiple Democratic and Libertarian challengers to Iowa’s all-GOP congressional delegation, as well as U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, the incumbent Republican in Iowa’s 3rd congressional district. Nunn is the only incumbent Republican scheduled to speak at the soapbox this year.

Here’s a rundown of when to see candidates at the Iowa State Fair this year, according to the Register:

Friday, Aug. 9

4:30 p.m.: U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, 3rd Congressional District Republican incumbent

Saturday, Aug. 10

12:00 p.m.: Nicholas Gluba, 1st Congressional District Libertarian candidate

1:30 p.m.: Christina Bohannan, 1st Congressional District Democratic candidate

2:15 p.m.: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Independent presidential candidate

4:30 p.m.: Chase Oliver, Libertarian presidential candidate

Sunday, Aug. 11

1:30 p.m.: Ryan Melton, 4th Congressional District Democratic candidate

2:15 p.m.: Marco Battaglia, 3rd Congressional District Libertarian candidate

3 p.m.: Charles Aldrich, 4th Congressional District Libertarian candidate

Monday, Aug. 12

4:30 p.m.: Lanon Baccam, 3rd Congressional District Democratic candidate

Tuesday, Aug. 13

4:30 p.m.: Sarah Corkery, 2nd Congressional District Democratic candidate