| Sean Bagniewski has served as the State Representative for House District 35 covering Northwest Des Moines since 2023. He was elected by his peers as one of the House Democratic Assistant Leaders in 2025. He serves as ranking member of the Transportation Committee and serves on the Agriculture, Appropriations, and Commerce Committees along with the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee. He also serves on the Capital Projects Committee.
During his time in the legislature, Sean has authored bills focusing on oversight of the educational voucher program, the funding of the Area Education Agencies, greater access to childcare, the promotion of American-made products, Summer SNAP benefits, and prohibiting the use of global positioning devices for victims of domestic abuse.
Before he was elected, Sean served as the chair of the Polk County Democratic Party from 2017 to 2023. In that role, he revived the Polk County Steak Fry, helped flip dozens of state and local races, raised $1.3 million for voter outreach, and ensured that neighborhood organizing groups were active in every precinct. He has a similar passion for his neighborhood where he served as the president of the Beaverdale Neighborhood Association and the larger city as the president of Des Moines Neighbors. He's also active in the Perkins Elementary Parent Teacher Association.
Although he started out in a trailer park with a single mom, he attributes any success to Iowa's public schools. He got a world-class education from Roosevelt High School, Central Academy, and Central Campus in Des Moines. He then graduated from Truman State University. He loaded bags overnight at the Des Moines Airport to help put himself through Drake University Law School. While there, the American Bar Association recognized him as their law school president of the year for 2008. During law school, he worked for Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and passed his first bill in the Iowa General Assembly. After passing the Iowa Bar, he worked for the Iowa Office of Energy Independence, the Iowa Utilities Board, the Iowa Finance Authority, as a contractor for Iowa Medicaid Enterprise, and in private real estate development.
He lives with his wife, Lindsay, in the Beaverdale neighborhood of Des Moines. Along with their sons Teddy and Frankin, they spend most of their time renovating their 1935 brick colonial revival, keeping up thousands of perennials in their garden, and visiting America's national parks. They're active members of Holy Trinity Catholic Church. |