Iowa politics is usually a predictable machine. You’ve got the deep-red rural stretches, the blue dots in the college towns, and a Republican supermajority that basically does what it wants. But 2025? Honestly, things got weird. People expected a quiet year after the 2024 presidential dust settled. Instead, we got a string of Iowa special elections 2025 that turned the statehouse into a bit of a high-stakes poker game.
It wasn't just about filling empty seats. It was about power—specifically, the kind of power that lets one party appoint whoever they want to state agencies without asking for permission.
The Supermajority That Wasn't
For most of the last decade, Republicans have held the keys to the kingdom in Des Moines. They had a two-thirds supermajority in the Senate. That's a big deal because, in Iowa, the Governor's appointments for things like the Commissioner of Insurance or the Director of Natural Resources need a two-thirds vote to get confirmed. If you have the supermajority, you don't need to talk to a single Democrat. You just vote and move on.
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But that supermajority is gone now.
It started early. Like, eight-days-after-the-inauguration early. On January 28, 2025, Mike Zimmer, a Democrat and school board president, pulled off a massive upset in Senate District 35. This was a seat held by Republican Chris Cournoyer, who had stepped down to become Lieutenant Governor. Trump won this district by 21 points in 2024. Zimmer won it by a couple hundred votes.
People thought it was a fluke. It wasn't.
A Summer Surprise in Sioux City
If you know Iowa, you know Sioux City is not exactly a liberal bastion. When Senator Rocky De Witt passed away in June, most political insiders assumed the GOP would coast to a win in Senate District 1.
They didn't.
Catelin Drey, the Democratic candidate, didn't just win on August 26; she "handily defeated" her opponent, Christopher Prosch, by about 10 points. That was the moment the supermajority officially crumbled. Suddenly, Governor Kim Reynolds realized she’d have to start playing nice—or at least negotiating—with at least one Democrat to get her appointees through.
The Full 2025 Special Election Calendar
Special elections happen because of life—resignations, appointments, and sadly, deaths. Here is how the year actually played out, and it was a lot busier than most people realize.
- January 28: Senate District 35 (Zimmer, D, flips the seat).
- March 11: House District 100. This was in Lee County to fill the seat of the late Martin Graber. Republican Blaine Watkins held the seat for the GOP, but it was closer than anyone expected—a narrow 51-48 margin.
- April 29: House District 78. Angel Ramirez (D) kept this seat blue after Sami Scheetz headed to the Linn County Board of Supervisors. Ramirez crushed it with nearly 80% of the vote.
- August 26: Senate District 1 (Drey, D, flips the seat).
- December 9: House District 7. Wendy Larson (R) held the seat for the GOP with 70% of the vote after Mike Sexton left for a USDA job.
- December 30: Senate District 16. This was the holiday-week closer. Renee Hardman (D) won big in the Des Moines suburbs to replace the late Claire Celsi.
Hardman’s win was historic. She became the first Black woman ever elected to the Iowa Senate. In a year where Democrats were supposed to be "demoralized" after 2024, they actually ended the year with more seats than they started with.
Why Nobody Saw the "Holiday Special" Coming
Running an election on December 30 is kinda crazy. Most people are thinking about New Year's Eve plans or trying to return gifts, not heading to a polling place in Clive or West Des Moines.
The GOP really wanted this one. If Lucas Loftin had won, they would have clawed back that supermajority. They poured money in. National groups got involved. But Renee Hardman had name recognition from the West Des Moines City Council, and she basically blew the doors off the place with 71% of the vote.
What This Actually Changes in Des Moines
So, what does this mean for 2026? Basically, everything gets a bit more complicated.
The Republicans still have the majority. Let's be clear: they have 33 seats, and the Democrats have 17. They can still pass laws. They can still pass the budget. But that two-thirds threshold for confirmations is a "hard wall."
If Governor Reynolds wants to appoint a controversial figure to a state board, she now has to worry about the math. She needs 34 votes. She only has 33. This gives the 17 Democrats a level of leverage they haven't had in years. They can’t stop everything, but they can certainly slow things down and demand a seat at the table for major appointments.
Misconceptions About Turnout
A lot of people look at these results and say, "Well, it's just low turnout." And yeah, they’re right. In the Sioux City race, less than a quarter of registered voters showed up.
But here’s the thing: "Special election voters" are the most engaged people in the state. If one party is consistently out-hustling the other in these "low-turnout" moments, it usually signals a lopsided enthusiasm gap. The GOP downplayed the losses, saying national Democrats "flooded" the state with money, which is partially true. But money doesn't vote; people do.
The Road to the 2026 Midterms
These Iowa special elections 2025 were basically the preseason for the 2026 midterms. Democrats are feeling bold. They’ve proven they can win in districts that Trump carried handily just months prior. Republicans, on the other hand, are likely looking at their ground game and wondering how they let two Senate seats slip through their fingers in one calendar year.
If you’re a voter or just someone watching from the sidelines, here is what you should be looking for next:
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- Watch the Confirmation Hearings: Pay attention to how the Senate handles the Governor's next round of appointees. Do the Republicans try to peel off one Democrat, or do they wait for a more favorable political climate?
- Monitor Legislative Retirements: Winning a special election is great, but holding the seat in a general election is harder. Keep an eye on whether these new winners—Zimmer and Drey—can build enough of a record to survive 2026.
- Check the Voter Registration Trends: Special elections often trigger a surge in registration. See if the "Independent" or "No Party" voters in these districts are starting to lean one way or the other.
Special elections are usually footnotes in history books. But in 2025, Iowa's "small" elections ended up reshaping the balance of power in the statehouse. It's a reminder that even when the big national news is quiet, the local stuff is where the real gears of government turn.
Actionable Insights for Iowa Residents:
- Verify your registration: If you moved or didn't vote in 2024, check your status at the Iowa Secretary of State website.
- Track the 2026 calendar: The primary elections will be here before you know it. Those who showed up for the 2025 specials have already set the tone.
- Contact your representative: If you live in District 35, 1, or 16, you have a new voice in Des Moines. Now is the time to let them know what your priorities are before the next full session kicks into high gear.