Democrat Pete D'Alessandro will challenge David Young for Congress

Pete D’Alessandro, a Democratic political operative who ran U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign in Iowa, is seeking to challenge two-term Republican U.S. Rep. David Young in Iowa's 3rd District.

D'Alessandro announced Saturday that he will pursue the Democratic party's nomination for the seat.

He credits grassroots organizers for working to get the country ready to elect people who will push progressive agendas. But he says those agendas need to be front and center during the 2018 elections if Democrats hope to take back Congressional seats.

He envisions a campaign less about opposition to President Donald Trump and more about a new plan for Iowans and Americans. "'It's not enough to say 'I'm against this,'" D'Alessandro told the Register. "We have to be offering a vision."

Medicare-for-all and a new living wage are part of D'Alessandro's vision; so are combating climate change with the development of renewable technologies and tuition-free college.

D'Alessandro grew up in Berwyn, Ill., before starting his career as a political organizer. In Iowa, he's worked for former Rep. Leonard Boswell and Gov. Tom Vilsack and served as political director for Gov. Chet Culver before joining Sanders' campaign in 2016.

During that campaign, D'Alessandro said he saw evidence that Americans already know the issues and are looking for a vehicle to make change. "These things are always grassroots driven," he said. "It's about the people who are part of the campaign, not the people who are the name of the campaign."

D'Alessandro announced in April he was forming an exploratory committee.

D'Alessandro is the sixth Democrat to announce a run in Iowa's 3rd District, which covers Des Moines.

Already vying for the Democratic nomination are Cindy Axne, a business consultant and owner of a web design company; Heather Ryan, a party planner who previously ran for Congress in Kentucky; Theresa Greenfield, the president of a family-owned real estate firm; Austin Frerick, a former economist for the U.S. Treasury; and Paul Knupp, a minister.

Community activist Eddie Mauro also is considering a run.

D'Alessandro expects the primary to be a Democratic primary discussion, not a Democratic family fight. "I have a lot of respect for all of [my Democratic opponents]," he said. "I am going to work every day to earn enough votes to win."