Iowa Congressional Candidate Joe Mitchell Faces Scrutiny Over Past Vulgar Remarks
Newly surfaced video shows a then-19-year-old Mitchell making offensive statements about women and race.
Iowa Republican congressional candidate Joe Mitchell is facing controversy following the release of a video in which he makes vulgar remarks about women and race. The video, reportedly filmed when Mitchell was 19, features him discussing his attraction to a Black woman while simultaneously expressing negative sentiments about white women and using explicit language to describe his own body.
Mitchell, now 29, is running in Iowa's competitive 2nd Congressional District and has received backing from Turning Point Action and endorsements from prominent conservative figures. The surfaced video, obtained by the Daily Mail, adds a complex layer to his campaign narrative.
In the footage, Mitchell can be heard saying he wanted to "f***" a Black girl he had a crush on. He also reportedly made disparaging remarks about white women. The context of the video appears to be a casual, possibly alcohol-fueled conversation from his college years.
This is not the first time Mitchell's past has drawn attention. In 2025, he was involved in a Snapchat scandal involving explicit messages and boasts about alcohol violations, which also surfaced during his campaign. At the time, his campaign acknowledged the incident, stating that the remarks were made by a younger Mitchell and did not reflect his current views.
Mitchell's campaign has previously attributed such past actions to a youthful indiscretion, emphasizing his growth and current dedication to conservative principles. The latest video is likely to reignite discussions about his suitability for public office and the vetting process by organizations that have endorsed him.
Mitchell is currently in a close race against his Democratic opponent, Lindsay James. The outcome of the election could be influenced by how voters respond to these revelations and the candidate's ability to address them effectively. He has been photographed with conservative activist Charlie Kirk and President Donald Trump in past years, images that his campaign has used to highlight his conservative connections.