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Dems Hand Trump His First Election Loss

Democrats have secured a significant win in Iowa, flipping a state Senate seat in a district that had strongly backed former President Trump in the last election.

Mike Zimmer, a longtime educator and school board president, won the special election for Senate District 35, defeating Republican Kate Whittington by approximately 3.5 percentage points. This district had previously supported Trump by a wide margin, voting for him by 21 points in 2024.

The election was held to fill the seat left vacant by Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer, who resigned in December to assume her new role as the second-highest-ranking official in the state under Governor Kim Reynolds. Zimmer will now serve out the remainder of Cournoyer’s term, which runs until 2026.

Zimmer credited his success to a broad, bipartisan coalition, stating, “Our campaign’s message of hard work and fairness resonated with voters across Clinton, Jackson, and Scott counties.” He emphasized his commitment to supporting working families, strengthening public schools, and addressing rising costs of living.

Although Republicans continue to hold a strong majority in the Iowa Senate, Democrats see this victory as a sign of shifting voter sentiment. Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, described the win as an early warning for the GOP, calling it the first flipped seat of the election cycle and signaling that more competitive races are ahead.

“This unexpected victory in Iowa sends a clear message to Republicans nationwide,” Williams said. “With many more special elections coming up, this is just the beginning.”


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