Clint Twedt-Ball
Clint Twedt-Ball is an American pastor, nonprofit leader, and political candidate from Iowa. He is the co-founder of Matthew 25, a Cedar Rapids-based nonprofit organization focused on affordable housing, food access, and neighborhood revitalization. In 2025, he announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in Iowa's 2nd congressional district as a Democrat.[1]
Early Life and Education
Twedt-Ball was born in the western Iowa town of Harlan, where his father served as a United Methodist pastor.[2]
He has a B.A. in psychology from the University of Iowa and a Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. He was ordained as a minister in the United Methodist Church.[2]
Career
Ministry and nonprofit leadership
Twedt-Ball served as pastor at Cedar United Methodist Church in Ham Lake, Minnesota, from 1999 to 2002 and at Lovely Lane United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from 2002 to 2007.[3] In 2006, Twedt-Ball co-founded Matthew 25, a nonprofit organization in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with his brother, Courtney Ball. The organization began as a ministry aimed at serving economically marginalized communities in the city's Taylor neighborhood.[4]
Matthew 25 initially focused on programs such as free music lessons, mentoring, and summer lunch programs for local students. After the 2008 Cedar Rapids flood, the organization expanded its work to include flood recovery and neighborhood rebuilding efforts.[4]
Under Twedt-Ball's leadership, Matthew 25 developed several community development initiatives, including a housing rehabilitation program called "Block by Block" and other volunteer-driven home repair efforts.[5] The organization has helped restore more than 1,000 homes and mobilized thousands of volunteers to support community development projects in Cedar Rapids.[6] The organization also established a nonprofit grocery store called the Cultivate Hope Corner Store, an urban farm, and a pay-it-forward cafe and restaurant called Groundswell Café, all designed to address food insecurity and provide community spaces.[7]
Matthew 25 has forty employees and has invested more than $15 million in Cedar Rapids core neighborhoods.[6]
Political Career
2026 Congressional Campaign
In July 2025, Twedt-Ball announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in Iowa's 2nd congressional district as a Democrat.[8]
The district, which includes cities such as Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Mason City, and Waterloo, had been represented by Republican Ashley Hinson since 2021.[9]
Twedt-Ball cited his experiences working with struggling families through nonprofit and church leadership as motivation for entering politics. He stated that issues such as health care access, economic security for seniors, and rising costs influenced his decision to run for office.[1]
Electoral History
2026 United States House of Representatives Election - Iowa’s 2nd District
- Democratic primary - candidate (election pending)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Opsahl, Robin (July 22, 2025). "Clint Twedt-Ball, Founder of Matthew 25 Nonprofit, Launches 2nd District Campaign". Iowa Capital Dispatch. Retrieved July 22, 2025. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 Brennan, Paul (July 24, 2025). "'We Can Do So Much Better': Clint Twedt-Ball, Co-Founder of Matthew 25, Launches a Run to Defeat Rep. Hinson in IA-02". Little Village. Retrieved July 24, 2025. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "UMData | Pastor Profile". www.umdata.org. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Our History". Matthew 25. Retrieved March 13, 2026. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Gazette, Grace Nieland, The (2025-06-29). "Longtime Matthew 25 leader Clint Twedt-Ball to step down July 15". The Gazette. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lohman, John (June 23, 2025). "Matthew 25 Founder Clint Twedt-Ball to Step Down After 19 Years of Leadership". Corridor Business Journal. Retrieved June 23, 2025. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Rogers, Kristin (2025-03-17). "Working Iowa: Matthew 25 hires for cafe & corner store". https://www.kcrg.com. Retrieved 2026-03-17. External link in
|website=(help) - ↑ Kelley, James (2025-07-22). "Clint Twedt-Ball launches campaign for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District". Iowa Public Radio. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ Hinson, Ashley. "Ashley Hinson - District Map". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
External Links
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