Democrat Renee Hardman won a significant victory in the Iowa state Senate on Tuesday during a year-end special election, thwarting Republican efforts to regain a two-thirds majority in the chamber. Hardman, who previously served as the CEO of nonprofit Lutheran Services of Iowa and is a member of the West Des Moines City Council, defeated Republican candidate Lucas Loftin by a substantial margin. Her election fills the seat vacated following the death of Democratic state Senator Claire Celsi on October 6.
In a historic achievement, Hardman becomes the first Black woman to serve in the Iowa Senate. This win adds to a series of successes for Iowa Democrats in special elections, as they have managed to flip two Senate seats this year, disrupting a Republican supermajority that had facilitated the confirmation of GOP Governor Kim Reynolds’ appointments to various state agencies.
Had Loftin won, the GOP would have regained its supermajority shortly after Democrat Catelin Drey flipped another Senate seat in an August special election. With Hardman’s victory, Democrats now hold 17 seats compared to Republicans’ 33.
The absence of a supermajority means that Republicans will now require support from at least one Democrat to push through Governor Reynolds’ nominees. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin heralded Hardman’s win as a “major check on Republican power,” highlighting the momentum for Democrats heading into the 2025 elections. Notably, the Democratic base in the district surpassed the Republican voter base by about 3,300 votes, with Democrats representing 37% compared to Republicans’ 30%.
Hardman’s election not only marks a crucial political shift in Iowa but also symbolizes progress and representation within the state’s legislative body.