Iowa’s Libertarian candidates are once again facing legal challenges from Republicans, threatening their presence on the November ballot, per Iowa Public Radio. This time, the objections target four candidates, Marco Battaglia and Rick Stewart for U.S. House seats, and Nicholas Gluba and Jules Cutler for the gubernatorial race.

On Monday, the Secretary of State’s Office received four objections against Libertarian candidates. The complaints, filed by GOP voters, a Republican strategist, and a GOP congressional staffer, cite issues such as name discrepancies, missing filings, and insufficient valid signatures. These challenges come in some of Iowa’s most competitive races, where Libertarian candidates could influence the outcomes of tightly contested elections.

The Cook Political Report currently labels the Third Congressional District and the governor’s race as “toss-ups,” the group’s most competitive designation. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate race, where Libertarian Thomas Laehn is running unchallenged, is considered “lean Republican. A state objection panel will review the challenges next Monday.

Marco Battaglia, running for Iowa’s Third District seat in the U.S. House, faces two challenges. The first, brought by GOP strategist Annie Kuhle, questions whether Battaglia met the signature requirements to qualify for the ballot. Battaglia, however, is confident his signatures will hold up under review. “I stopped counting after thinking I was very safe, and then I tried to do that work for them and get rid of any that were potentially problematic,” he said.

The second challenge, filed by Kuhle and Wes Enos, incumbent Republican Rep. Zach Nunn’s deputy chief of staff, argues that Battaglia’s affidavit for candidacy and nominating petition do not use his legal name, Mark Thomas Andersen. Battaglia has used the name “Marco Thomoso Battaglia” since 2009, adopting it as a stage name during his time in a heavy metal band. He compares it to a pen name and points to previous elections where he ran under “Marco Battaglia” without issue.

“It’s just there’s like years of information of me going by Marco Battaglia,” he said. “I don’t know, I think they’re just throwing everything they could at the wall to see what sticks.”

Stephanie Berlin, chair of the Libertarian Party of Iowa, dismisses the challenges as baseless. She argues that the forms do not require a legal name and questions the definition of a “real name.” “Is it the name that everybody knows you as? I would say yes,” she said.

Battaglia’s situation echoes his 2024 experience, when he was removed from the ballot after Republican officials ruled that the Libertarian Party failed to follow state nominating procedures. The Iowa Supreme Court upheld the decision, but Battaglia continued his campaign as a write-in candidate.

Keven Arrowsmith, a Waukee Republican, challenged Nicholas Gluba’s candidacy for governor, citing an incorrect address on his affidavit of candidacy. The street name was misspelled, and the word “drive” was omitted. Gluba previously ran for Congress in the First District in 2024 but was removed from the ballot and ran as a write-in candidate after a state objection panel’s ruling.

Arrowsmith’s challenge also targets Libertarian lieutenant governor candidate Jules Cutler, alleging she failed to file an affidavit for candidacy. Additionally, the challenge claims her nominating petitions misrepresent her name as “Jules Cutler” instead of her legal name, “Julia Cutler.”

In Iowa’s Second District, Bernie Hayes, chair of the Linn County Republicans, challenged Libertarian Rick Stewart’s candidacy over name inconsistencies. Stewart listed his name as “Rick Stewart” on his affidavit of candidacy but as “Richard Stewart” on nomination petitions. Hayes is represented by Alan Ostergren, the same lawyer who represented objectors to Libertarian candidates in 2024.

The Libertarian Party of Iowa sees these challenges as part of a broader effort to suppress competition. “These challenges are entirely baseless in the face of the fear of the Republican Party not being able to run effective candidates on their own,” Berlin said. She accuses the GOP of bullying to remove a free and fair election for Iowans.