Former Iowa U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne takes new post at Department of Agriculture

Former Iowa U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne has taken a senior role in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency announced Wednesday.

Axne, a Democrat who represented Iowa's 3rd House district for two terms, will serve as senior adviser for rural engagement, delivery and prosperity at the USDA, based in Washington. She takes the role in the Biden administration after being defeated by Republican Zach Nunn in November.

While in the House, Axne served as co-chair of the Congressional Rural Caucus and committees on agriculture and financial services. She also joined the Rural Broadband Task Force.

Axne touted her work for the district at the end of 2022, writing in a guest column for the Register that she "never stopped fighting to make sure that rural Iowans got the investments they deserve."

Her appointment to the post adds a new wrinkle to the question of whether Axne will mount a 2024 campaign against Nunn to retake the seat. Currently, no Democrats have announced they will run for Iowa's four House seats, which were swept by Republicans in 2022.

2022 election: Zach Nunn wins election in Iowa’s 3rd District for Republican sweep of Congressional races

The Iowa Democratic Party referred the Register to the USDA, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee said that "Iowa Democrats are frantically searching under couch cushions looking for candidates to line up and lose."

"It’s no wonder Axne chose Washington bureaucracy over trying to get her old job back," spokesperson Chris Gustafson said.

Galen Bacharier covers politics for the Register. Reach him at gbacharier@registermedia.com or (573) 219-7440, and follow him on Twitter @galenbacharier.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Former Iowa U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne joins USDA as senior adviser