Zach Wahls

Zach Wahls represents District 43 in the Iowa Senate, encompassing Coralville, North Liberty, Solon, several Iowa City neighborhoods, and rural Johnson County. He serves as a member of the following Senate policy committees: Health and Human Services, Commerce, Veterans Affairs, and Technology. He also serves on the Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee.

Wahls is a sixth-generation Iowan, a longtime resident of the senate district with deep community roots, an Eagle Scout, and an active member of the Unitarian Universalist congregation in Coralville. He is the Executive Director of The Next 50 Network, which supports next-generation civic leaders across the United States. His advocacy extends significantly into LGBTQ+ rights, underscored by his leadership in the successful campaigns through Scouts for Equality to end discrimination within the Boy Scouts of America against gay and transgender members.

Prior to his election to the Iowa Senate, Wahls' testimony before the Iowa House Judiciary Committee about growing up with lesbian parents was YouTube’s most-watched political video of 2011. He has spoken at over 300 events all over Iowa and across America, including a primetime speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention supporting President Barack Obama’s re-election. He is the author of the nationally bestselling memoir "My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family." Wahls' engagement with national media includes appearances on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," "The Late Show with David Letterman," "The Ellen Show," "The Situation Room," and "Newshour."

Wahls received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa and his master’s degree from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs. Elected to the Iowa Senate in 2018, he continues to be a prominent voice for equality and community engagement. He lives with his wife, Dr. Chloe Angyal, a journalist and author, their son Elijah, and their dog Zelda in Coralville.