Marco Battaglia

Marco Battaglia graduated from Hoover High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 2010. His career experience includes working as a correctional officer.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Marco Battaglia. I was born and raised in Des Moines. My mother immigrated to Madrid, Iowa from Modena, Italy with her family via Ellis Island when she was a young child. My father grew up on a dairy farm in Minnesota before spending time in the Peace Corps and finally moving to Iowa to teach.

I grew up on the north side and now live on an acreage on the south side with my own family. I have two sons of whom I could not be more proud. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Communications degree and have played bass guitar with my band Dark Mirror for over 20 years. I have extensive experience in Corrections and Financial Crimes. I have worked to help people defend themselves from many forms of fraud and abuse.

Over the last decade I have spent considerable time travelling around the district and the state, learning from those I have met along the way. I have raised funds in support of community based mental health and addiction rehabilitation and in support of the housing first model of addressing homelessness.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The house was intended to be directly accountable to the people. We need to work to make this the case once again. To me two-year terms are ideal and we should consider making more offices have two-year terms.

The Constitution gave the House the sole power to originate all tax and revenue bills. The framers believed this power should rest exclusively with the chamber most directly elected by the people to prevent abusive taxation and ensure "no taxation without representation." We also need to work to reflect this, once again.Congress should be serving their constituents, honoring their oath to the Constitution, and providing executive branch oversight. The House should rein in the federal budget, move us away from tariffs and sanctions, and take back its war powers. I aim to lead by example starting day one.I would like to leave a legacy demonstrating that anyone can run for office without taking problematic donations, perform a few years of service to others, and leave without making a career out of politics.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about maximum liberties for all people, all of the time. I am passionate about meaningful immigration reform and ending the war on drugs.

I am passionate about ending war and having our troops focus on protecting our own country and cleaning up the environmental messes we have created.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Former Iowa Governor and Senator Harold Hughes. He was honest, genuine, and led by example.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, transparency, accountability, communication and having principles.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To serve the people of the district and stand for the constitution. To introduce legislation, as well as to discuss and work on said legislation. The power of the purse, war powers, and keeping the executive branch in check are also responsibilities that far too many in office shirk currently.

The Constitution gave the House the sole power to originate all tax and revenue bills. The framers believed this power should rest exclusively with the chamber most directly elected by the people to prevent abusive taxation and ensure "no taxation without representation." We also need to work to reflect this, once again.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy demonstrating that anyone can run for office without taking problematic donations, perform a few years of service to others, and leave without making a career out of politics.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working at the movie theater in Johnston, Iowa. I also worked in landscaping and lawn maintenance. I maintained good standing at these jobs from the age of 16 through college and returned to them during periods between other jobs. I still have positive relationships with many of my original coworkers to this day.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Carrying excess weight has been a struggle in my life. Still a work in progress. :)

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The house was intended to be directly accountable to the people. We need to work to make this the case once again. To me two-year terms are ideal and we should consider making more offices have two-year terms.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Passing immigration reform that will be beneficial to all citizens, old and new alike. Taking back our government to allow for a functioning constitutional republic.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

It really depends on the compromise. On minor issues, of course! But we should never compromise when it comes to standing for the inherent rights of all of our people all of the time.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, Former Mayor of Bellflower, California Art Olivier, City Council Member Lone Tree Iowa- Nicholas Gluba

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

Jesse Ventura breaking the two party system by winning his election for Governor of Minnesota.

Marco Battaglia did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Marco Battaglia did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

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What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

Addiction and Mental Health Rehabilitation and an end to the backlog on rape test kits.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I want to help rein in the war on drugs so that we may better work together against the opioid issues and addiction struggles. I want to insure that the justice system is accessible to all in Iowa.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I am directly inspired by personages of historical significance, including Frederic Bastiat, Filippo Mazzei, Sir William Blackstone, Frederick Douglass, and former Iowa Governor Harold Hughes. I've spent over a year campaigning, listening to citizens, and meeting with county attorneys, law enforcement, farmers, and business owners. I've met with press all over the state and answered all questions from the left and the right and everywhere in between. I would look to follow the positive examples that I have seen among people in these various positions. JFK and RFK have always been a significant influence on my political activity.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The Law, Book by Frédéric Bastiat would be a great place to start. Commentaries on the Laws of England: Book I, II, III, and IV by William Blackstone. A Nation of Immigrants from JFK, which references the words of Filippo Mazzei that directly influenced our countries founding documents. Anything by Thomas Sowell or Walter E. Williams I generally find thought provoking.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Accountability, integrity, honesty, availability, empathy, vision.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have the ability to bring together people from different political parties and from different walks of life. I have done it my whole life within my own family and friends. I have vast knowledge of the law and of the history of our type of government and the ability to put forth simple and direct changes and direction.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To provide legal advice to the states employees and to ensure that the law is accessible to all Iowans and that the system of justice is always functioning in a manner that does more good than harm. I think that the most important function is to be a resource to the residents of Iowa and to protect the public through criminal and protection efforts.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like it to be said that I stood up to fraud and corruption and that I helped to modernize the office in such away that it helped to maximize the civil liberties and the civil rights of all of those in our state.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

November 3, 1998. Jesse Ventura won the office of Governor, without being a Democrat or a Republican, and he only spent $250,000—money he raised by selling $22 t-shirts and accepting $50 donations from his supporters. I was 13 years old and this opened my eyes to the fact that there were politics beyond the duopoly.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job for someone besides family, was at a movie theater in Johnston, Iowa. I was 16 when I was first hired in 2001 and I had the job intermittently until I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2008.

What happened on your most awkward date?

I was pulled over by the police and carded and searched for no apparent reason.

What is your favorite holiday? Why?

My favorite holiday has always been Halloween. I love jacket weather and the aspect of being able to dress up be silly. I also love going to the apple orchards and pumpkin patches. Music, film, and style that seems appropriate for Halloween has always been among my favorite year-round.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My first favorite book was Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. This was and is due to the exploration of complex human nature as well as the relevant matter of colonialism.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Frank Castle and Jackie Estacado have been longtime favorites.

What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?

My library(and the media therein) or my bass guitars would have to be my favorite possessions.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The recurring theme from Disney's Robin Hood.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

It has been a struggle to find balance between professional pursuits and family and friends. I strive to do better at it.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government?

The ability to introduce legislation is huge.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

The ability to provide legal advice and to oversee various state agencies, and of course the ability to introduce legislation.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

It appears to me that very few Iowans understand the role of the office as defined in Iowa Code or that many know that the office has the power to introduce legislation. There is even a special office in the capital for the Attorney General to work on legislation.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

I have seen people do well in office that have experience in political office and I have seen people do well in office that have little or no political office experience. Life experience and experiences in the private sector are the most important. Politician was never intended to be a career in this country.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Intelligence, communication, and brevity.

The following issue statements were found on Battaglia's official campaign website. For a full list of issues, click here.

Medical Freedon

It is absurd that in Iowa you can turn on any form of media and tune into programming that gets above average viewer-ship and be encouraged to imbibe substances that are harming us in great numbers while at the same time people are being locked up for possessing substances that provide positive results for them. You can walk a few blocks, in most populated parts of the state, and purchase items that are easily provable to be of great danger but it is still taboo, and worse yet criminal, to use certain substances as medicine. When you stop and think about it do you not want to change this? Should we not have some sensible and measurable form of justice in this state? We lock people up, fine them, and make it hard for them to find work because they possessed the wrong substance and perhaps used it in a recreational manner? Or worse yet even if they used it as medication? I believe that in this country that you should have the right to decide what type of medical care that you want. Iowans let us reestablish our right to choose our own medical practice and practitioner; lets re-establish the freedom for citizens of Iowa to practice their own forms of medical care, and lets give Iowans back freedom to purchase medications and treatments without a prescription.

Agricultural Freedom

It seems the current political establishment has no problem with cronyism or corporate welfare. Cronyism plus corporate welfare sets up ideal conditions for crony capitalism. Iowans have been conditioned to accept that it is OK for their leaders to influence and create markets even when there is no clear benefit to a majority of Iowans. These leaders are happy to take credit when a back-room deal has been struck between leaders and national or multinational corporations. They express joy when the concept of eminent domain is abused to pad their or their business partners pocketbooks. I think that it is great when innovative new companies decide to locate in Iowa. I think it is great when the most possible Iowans can find good work for good pay. I do think that we need to take a long hard look at our appointed leadership and at our policies to ensure that, as far as the governance is concerned, that we have a fair playing field for a local start-up and a multinational corporation alike. When our current political leaders want to seek funding they start saying things like, “we are feeding the world”, “ we are fueling the world”, and they start talking about large hog or chicken operations without differentiating between them and a traditional family run farm. The truth is a majority of Iowans now work in industries like medicine, banking and insurance and that due to increased crony capitalism it is becoming harder and harder for a young Iowan to enter the farming business. I believe that this type of crony capitalism can be easily seen in agriculture but I believe that these principles can be applied to state business in general. My fellow Iowans I ask of you to give agricultural freedom a chance.

Economic Freedom

I believe that in order for the largest number of Iowans to be able to prosper and pursue their vision of happiness that we need to keep a balanced budget and to reduce the debts that we are passing on to our children and to future Iowans. The Governor and her protege before her, have left us with state tax receipts that are running about $100 million short of expectations through May 31. This is unacceptable. Short term and haphazard cuts are detrimental to Iowans and are no answers to our problems. Governor Kim Reynolds plans to use money from the state’s “Economic Emergency Fund” to ensure the state budget is balanced when the books are officially closed on the current state fiscal year. Governor Reynolds said “everything has to be on the table”, when she and the Republican-led Legislature work next session to come up with revisions. Now, historically what this means from a Democrat or a Republican is more taxing, followed by more spending. I would work to ensure that what this means is simplified taxation and cuts to waste and corporate welfare as opposed to cuts to education or safety net programs that Iowans currently depend on. The key to moving Iowans out of a reliance on the safety net is not to leave them out in the cold, but to put Iowa on the forefront on a move to sound money and on the front-lines in the battle to end financial tyranny.[17]

—Marco Battaglia[18]