In a surprising upset, Iowa Democrats have captured a state Senate seat previously held by Republicans in a district where Donald Trump won by a significant margin. This victory could signal a potential shift in political dynamics within the state.
Iowa Democrats have flipped a state Senate seat in a district Donald Trump won by 21 points. Democrat Mike Zimmer defeated Republican Kate Whittington in the special election for Senate District 35, which covers portions of Jackson, Clinton and Scott counties. The seat was previously held by Republican Chris Cournoyer , who resigned in December to serve as lieutenant governor. Cournoyer previously won the district by a 22-point margin in 2022, giving the Republicans a decisive victory.
However, according to unofficial results from the Iowa Secretary of State's website from this year's special election, the district will now be held by the Democrats, with Zimmer winning almost 52 percent of the vote to Whittington's 48 percent. Zimmer, a retired teacher and coach, is president of the Central DeWitt School Board. This victory comes after Trump won the district by 21 points in November. In 2024, Trump flipped Scott County red after Joe Biden previously won by the county by 3 points in 2020, and Hillary Clinton by 2 points in 2016. Jackson and Clinton counties were won by Trump in the last three presidential elections.Iowa has voted for the Republican candidate in the last three presidential elections. Before that, the state had not voted for a Republican since 2004. Zimmer said in a statement: 'I am honored that the residents of Senate District 35 have put their faith in me to represent them in the Iowa Senate. Our campaign's values of hard work and fairness resonated with a bipartisan coalition of voters in Clinton, Jackson and Scott counties. I'm looking forward to working on behalf of the people of Eastern Iowa to help working Iowans get ahead, support our public schools and teachers, and help lower the cost of living.' Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner told Des Moines Register in a statement: 'Mike Zimmer's victory in Senate District 35, which President Trump won in November with nearly 60 percent of the vote, is a clear rejection of the Republican agenda led by Kim Reynolds and the Senate Republicans that have failed Iowans. Voters sent a message: They're tired of stagnant wages, defunded schools, and state interference in local control.' When Zimmer is sworn into office at the statehouse, there will be 16 Democrats and 34 Republicans in the state senate. He will complete the rest of Cournoyer's term, serving through 2026.
Iowa Election Senate Race Donald Trump Republican Party Democratic Party Chris Cournoyer Mike Zimmer Kate Whittington
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