Representative David Ray Nagle

David Ray Nagle (born April 15, 1943) is an American politician and lawyer from Iowa who served as a Representative in the United States House of Representatives, representing Iowa’s 3rd congressional district from January 3, 1987, to January 3, 1993. A member of the Democratic Party, he served three terms in Congress during a significant period in American political history, participating in the legislative process and representing the interests of his eastern and central Iowa constituents.

Nagle was raised in Iowa and pursued his higher education in the state. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa, an institution that has long trained many of Iowa’s educators and public servants. He went on to earn his law degree from the University of Iowa, preparing for a career in legal practice and public service. His legal training and early professional experiences would later inform his work as both a trial lawyer and a legislator.

Following completion of his legal studies, Nagle began his career in public service at the local level. He served as an Assistant County Attorney for Black Hawk County, Iowa, from 1969 to 1970, gaining prosecutorial and courtroom experience. He then served as the City Attorney of Evansdale, Iowa, from 1972 to 1973, advising the municipality on legal matters and helping to administer local government. During this period, he also developed a broader civic profile in Black Hawk County and the surrounding region.

Nagle’s public involvement extended beyond formal legal roles into conservation, professional leadership, and education. From 1975 to 1980, he served as a member, and later president, of the Black Hawk County Conservation Board, where he participated in the oversight and development of local conservation and natural resources policy. He was an adjunct professor at the University of Northern Iowa from 1978 to 1981, sharing his legal and practical knowledge with students. From 1980 to 1983, he served on the Board of Governors of the Association of Trial Lawyers of Iowa, reflecting his standing within the state’s trial bar and his engagement with issues affecting civil litigation and the legal profession.

Nagle also rose to prominence within the Democratic Party in Iowa. From 1982 to 1985, he served as Chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, playing a central role in party organization, candidate recruitment, and statewide electoral strategy during a period of competitive state and national politics. His leadership in the party helped position him for a successful run for federal office and established him as a key figure in Iowa Democratic circles.

In 1986, Nagle was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat from Iowa’s 3rd congressional district, taking office on January 3, 1987. He served three consecutive terms, remaining in office until January 3, 1993. During his tenure, Iowa had six seats in the House of Representatives, and the 3rd district encompassed a portion of eastern and central Iowa. As a member of the House, Nagle contributed to the legislative process, participated in debates and committee work, and represented the concerns of his district in national policymaking. His service in Congress coincided with major national developments in domestic and foreign policy at the end of the Cold War and the beginning of the post–Cold War era.

Following the 1990 census, reapportionment reduced Iowa’s representation in the House from six seats to five, prompting a redrawing of district boundaries. The redistricting plan combined Nagle’s 3rd congressional district with what had been the 2nd congressional district into a single new district. In the 1992 election, this change forced Nagle into a race against fellow incumbent Republican Jim Nussle. Nagle was defeated in that contest and left Congress at the conclusion of his third term. He sought to return to the House in the 1994 election, again running against Nussle, but was defeated a second time.

After his congressional service, Nagle remained active in Iowa politics and continued his legal career. He attempted to run for the United States Senate in 1998, but withdrew from the race following his arrest on a public intoxication charge that year. In November 2001, he announced that he would again seek a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, this time running against Jim Nussle, who by then represented Iowa’s 1st congressional district. Nagle entered the Democratic primary but was defeated by Ann Hutchinson, the mayor of Bettendorf, Iowa.

Nagle has continued to practice law in Waterloo, Iowa, maintaining his professional base in the community where much of his early public service began. His long involvement in Democratic politics in Iowa has been recognized by his party. On August 5, 2011, he was inducted into the Iowa Democratic Party’s Hall of Fame, honoring his years of service as party chairman, member of Congress, and party leader. In February 2016, state Democratic Party chairwoman Andy McGuire selected Nagle to head a review panel to examine the results of the 2016 Iowa Democratic caucuses, reflecting ongoing confidence in his experience and judgment in matters of party procedure and electoral integrity.