After graduating from college, Axne worked in leadership development and strategic planning for the Tribune Company in Chicago. From 2005 to 2014, she worked in the Iowa state government on service delivery in over 20 state agencies in the executive branch.[2]
In 2018, Axne ran for the United States House of Representatives in Iowa's 3rd congressional district.[3][4] She won the Democratic primary election with 57.91% of the vote[5] and defeated incumbent representative David Young in the general election, becoming, with Abby Finkenauer, one of the first two women from Iowa elected to the House.[6] Young carried 15 of the district's 16 counties, but Axne won Polk County, the district's most populous county and home to Des Moines, by over 30,000 votes, far exceeding the overall margin of 8,000.[7]
In 2020, Axne won the Democratic primary virtually unopposed, facing only write-in candidates.[8] She then defeated David Young in a rematch in the general election, with 48.9% of the vote to Young's 47.6%.[9]
Axne ran for reelection[10] and lost to Republican nominee Zach Nunn by a margin of 0.7%.
Tenure
Axne took office during the 2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown and requested that her pay be withheld until the shutdown ended.[11] On January 30, 2019, she co-sponsored a bill, the Shutdown to End All Shutdowns (SEAS) Act, to prevent future federal government shutdowns from happening.[12]
In September 2021, Axne was accused of failing to disclose up to $645,000 in stock trades.[13] Reports also found that she had bought and sold stocks in companies she was tasked to oversee as a member of the House Financial Services Committee.[14]
In July 2022, The Committee on Ethics voted to clear Axne of any wrongdoing and dismissed previously filed complaints on stock trading.[15]
As of October 2022, Axne has voted in line with Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time.[17] In an October 2022 interview, she called Biden "the most impactful president we've seen in this country's history".[18]
In 2022, Axne voted for H.R. 1808: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022.[19][20]
Axne and her husband, John, operate a digital design firm. They have two sons and live in the Hill East neighborhood of Washington, D.C..[2] They are members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in West Des Moines.