He was not the only one from the Hawkeye State…
WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. privately urged a third-party congressional candidate in Iowa to consider leaving a competitive House race to improve Republicans’ chances of retaining control of the chamber, according to an audio recording obtained by The Washington Post.
The recording captures a 12-minute phone conversation on June 11 between Kennedy and Rick Stewart, a Libertarian candidate running in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. During the call, Kennedy warned that a Democratic takeover of the House would cripple President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda and suggested the two discuss potential “specifics” if Stewart decided to suspend his campaign.
The conversation has prompted ethics concerns because Kennedy, a sitting Cabinet secretary, appeared to personally intervene in a congressional election while describing himself as acting as a liaison for the White House.
Kennedy Warned Democrats Would Target Trump Administration
According to the recording, Kennedy argued that Republicans must maintain control of the House to prevent Democrats from launching investigations into the administration.
He told Stewart that a Democratic majority would consume the next two years with subpoenas and oversight rather than allowing the administration to govern.
“I don’t want to be fighting subpoenas for the next two years instead of improving America’s health,” Kennedy said during the call.
Kennedy also explained that he was reaching out because he viewed the Iowa race as strategically important to preserving the Republican majority.
Candidate Says He Heard an Implied Quid Pro Quo
During the conversation, Kennedy suggested there could be future discussions if Stewart chose to withdraw.
“I can’t go into specifics because there’s legal prohibitions about that,” Kennedy reportedly said. “If it’s something that you want to talk about, you and I can talk about specifics.”
Although Kennedy never explicitly offered Stewart a government position or political favor, Stewart later told The Washington Post he believed the message was clear.
“He was very careful about the words that he used,” Stewart said. “But the whole implication is: You help us, we’ll help you.”
Despite the outreach, Stewart said he has no intention of ending his campaign.
Similar Outreach to Another Iowa Candidate
The effort was not limited to one congressional race.
According to reporting, Kennedy also contacted Marco Battaglia, the Libertarian candidate running in Iowa’s highly competitive 3rd Congressional District. (RELATED: Iowa Democratic Candidate Says State Leadership Is Too White, Male & Christian)
Battaglia later said Kennedy similarly warned that a Democratic House majority would make life “hell” for the Trump administration and encouraged him to consider leaving the race.
The conversation underscored the administration’s concern that third-party candidates could siphon enough votes to influence closely contested House elections.
Republican Legal Challenge Changed the Race
Ultimately, Battaglia never appeared on the general election ballot.
Following legal challenges filed by Republicans questioning signature requirements and the use of candidates’ legal names, an Iowa state panel voted to remove Battaglia and several other Libertarian candidates from the November ballot.
The decision significantly altered the electoral landscape in one of the nation’s most closely watched congressional contests.
While Kennedy’s outreach ultimately became irrelevant in Battaglia’s case, the recording of his conversations has drawn renewed attention to the administration’s behind-the-scenes political strategy.
Ethics Experts Raise Concerns
Government ethics specialists say Kennedy’s actions raise significant legal and ethical questions.
The Campaign Legal Center and other experts told The Washington Post that executive branch officials should avoid using the prestige of their offices to influence congressional elections.
Although proving a violation of federal ethics laws or the Hatch Act would depend on additional facts — including whether Kennedy acted in his official capacity or as a private political surrogate — experts said the outreach presents troubling questions about the appropriate role of Cabinet officials in election campaigns. (RELATED: Boebert Criticizes Hegseth For Leaving Iran Crisis To Campaign)
The White House has not publicly addressed the recording, and Kennedy declined to comment on its contents.
House Majority at Stake
Kennedy’s outreach illustrates just how seriously the administration views the battle for control of the House.
With Republicans operating under the narrowest House majority since the early days of the Great Depression, even a few competitive races could decide control of the chamber. That puts several marginally red districts in the spotlight, including three GOP-held seats in Iowa.
If Democrats regain the House, they would obtain subpoena power and could launch investigations into virtually every major component of Trump’s second-term agenda, including Kennedy’s controversial restructuring of federal health agencies.
That possibility appears to have motivated Kennedy’s unusual personal involvement.
Rare Glimpse Into White House Political Strategy
The recordings provide an uncommon look at how aggressively senior administration officials are working behind the scenes to shape competitive congressional races.
Rather than relying solely on the Republican National Committee or congressional campaign organizations, the conversations suggest Cabinet officials themselves have become involved in efforts to persuade third-party candidates to step aside.
Whether Kennedy’s outreach results in formal ethics complaints remains uncertain.
But the recordings have already intensified scrutiny of the administration’s political operations and added another layer of controversy to one of the nation’s most competitive House battlegrounds.
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