Democrat Renee Hardman claimed a victory in a special election for Iowa’s state Senate District 16 after she defeated her Republican opponent Lucas Loftin on Tuesday.
Hardman’s win “denies Republicans a two-thirds majority in the upper chamber, which would have given them the power to override a governor’s veto,” according to the Hill:
Her victory denies Republicans a two-thirds majority in the upper chamber, which would have given them the power to override a governor’s veto, call for special sessions and approve a governor’s appointees on a party-line vote.
With Hardman’s win, Iowa Democrats are closing out the year strong. Back in January, Democrat Mike Zimmer flipped an Iowa state Senate district that had overwhelmingly voted for Trump in 2024. And in August, Democrat Catelin Drey flipped another open state Senate seat, breaking the GOP supermajority.
Hardman’s win comes months after Catelin Drey, “a Democrat from Sioux City,” won a special election for Iowa’s state Senate District 1 in August with “about 55 percent of the vote,” Breitbart News reported. As a result of Drey’s victory, Iowa Democrats held “17 seats in the 50-member Iowa Senate, compared with 33 for Republicans.”
Breitbart News’s Jasmyn Jordan wrote:
With Drey’s victory, Democrat now hold 17 seats in the 50-member Iowa Senate, compared with 33 for Republicans. The result breaks the GOP’s two-thirds supermajority, which had allowed Republicans to approve certain nominations and measures without Democratic support. Going forward, Republican leadership will need at least one Democratic senator to confirm appointments to state boards, commissions, and agencies.
In response to Hardman’s win, Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner issued a statement stating that Hardman “made history” with her win. “Congratulations to State Senator-elect Renee Hardman on her overwhelming victory in today’s election. She has made history,” Weiner said. “And it’s clear the voters responded positively to Renee’s strong campaign that showcased her leadership qualities and record of achievement as a member of the West Des Moines City Council.”
“With this win in SD-16, Iowa Senate Democrats are three for three in special elections to the Iowa State Senate in 2025,” Weiner added. “We’ve flipped two seats, held a third, and broken the GOP supermajority.”
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