Republicans expand majorities in Iowa Legislature to historic levels after strong election

Republicans are poised to grow their supermajorities in the Iowa Legislature yet again after a strong showing Tuesday night, expanding what were already historically large majorities.

While a few races had not yet been called Wednesday, the GOP appears to have clinched a supermajority in the Iowa House, flipping Democrat-held seats in Ankeny, Dubuque, Marshalltown and Mason City.

In the Senate, Democrats flipped a Republican-held seat in Urbandale but appeared to have lost two incumbents in Des Moines and Cedar Falls.

House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, took the stage Tuesday night at the Iowa GOP's election night watch party in Des Moines to declare victory.

Grassley said Republicans had defended all the incumbent House Republicans running for reelection.

"How does the number 67 House Republicans sound to everybody?" he asked the crowd.

Going into Tuesday’s election, Republicans held a 64-36 majority in the Iowa House and a 33-16 advantage in the Iowa Senate.

If all the results hold, a 67-member Republican supermajority will be the largest majority the party has held in the Iowa House since Iowa set the number of state representatives at 100 beginning with the 1970 election.

Republicans' potential 35-seat Senate majority is also the largest margin the GOP has had since it controlled 38 seats following the 1970 election.

"Now, the bad news with that is we may have to add on to the Capitol so there’s a room big enough to hold all of the Iowa House Republicans that we’re going to have this upcoming session," Grassley joked.

The results leave Democrats with their smallest minorities in the last 50 years and few avenues to influence policy in Des Moines.

House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, thanked Iowa's Democratic candidates and volunteers in a statement Wednesday.

"While Tuesday's results were disappointing for so many and there is a lot of uncertainty ahead, my commitment to the people of Iowa is unwavering," she said. "When the session begins in January, we will listen to Iowans, make sure everyone has a voice at the table and work together to improve their lives."

Candidates in a few of the closest races have said they intend to request recounts.

House Republicans show strength in the Des Moines metro and around the state

Aside from sending incumbent Republicans back to the Iowa Capitol, House Republicans also defeated Democrats in cities around the state, flipping those seats to GOP control.

• In Ankeny's House District 41, Republican challenger Ryan Weldon was ahead over Rep. Molly Buck, D-Ankeny, with 50.3% of the vote to Buck's 49.7%, according to unofficial results. The Associated Press has not called the race.

• Republican Jennifer Smith defeated longtime Rep. Chuck Isenhart, D-Dubuque, in House District 72, with 53% of the vote.

• In Marshalltown's House District 52, Republican David Blom unseated Rep. Sue Cahill, D-Marshalltown, with 52% of the vote.

• And Republican Christian Hermanson narrowly beat Democrat Jeremy True in Mason City-based House District 59, where Democratic Rep. Sharon Steckman is retiring.

Republicans held on in several metro seats where Democrats had hoped they had a chance of making gains.

Rep. Bill Gustoff, R-Des Moines, was ahead Wednesday in a tight race against Democrat Heather Sievers in House District 40, including Altoona and parts of Des Moines, with 50.9% of the vote to Sievers' 49.1%. The race had not been called Wednesday afternoon.

"I knew it would be a close race, but I felt momentum was going our way," Gustoff said late Tuesday, citing "all the doors that I knocked and all the people I talked to."

He attributed his electoral success to addressing economic issues that were top of mind for people at the doors.

"Putting food on the table, paying for gas in their tanks, and educating the children and just taking time to listen to people, I think makes a big difference," Gustoff said.

Rep. Eddie Andrews, R-Johnston, held off Democrat Tiara Mays-Sims to win reelection in House District 43 with 51% of the vote.

In a message to supporters Wednesday, Andrews touted Republicans' work to cut taxes, raise teacher pay and expand veterans benefits.

"With your support, I am excited to continue the work ahead to combat inflation, eliminate property taxes, champion mental health and deliver affordable health care for Iowans," he said.

And Rep. David Young, R-Van Meter, defeated Democrat Laura Snider in House District 28, winning 53% of the vote.

Democrats picked up one Republican-held seat in eastern Iowa's House District 81, where Daniel Gosa was elected after Rep. Luana Stoltenberg, R-Davenport, did not seek reelection and Republicans did not field a candidate.

House Democrats had a few other successes around the state Tuesday night. Rep. Heather Matson, D-Ankeny, defeated Republican Heather Stephenson in House District 42, by a margin of 50.4% to 49.6% in a heavily targeted race.

And Democrat Aime Wichtendahl will become the first openly transgender lawmaker to serve in Iowa when she is sworn into office in January. She won election over Republican John Thompson in House District 80 in Hiawatha with 52% of the vote.

"I am honored to make history tonight," Wichtendahl said in a statement. "It shows that Iowans and Americans at large are tired of the culture war politics and anti-trans legislation and will vote for leaders who prioritize their well being and work for them to get ahead."

Senate Republicans lose their longest-serving member, but flip two Democratic seats

Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Grimes, said in a statement Wednesday that Iowans sent a clear message with their votes.

"They are voting for an Iowa Senate to control spending, cut taxes and implement common sense solutions to the needs of this state," Whitver said. "Now with our even larger supermajority, Senate Republicans look forward to continuing to deliver results for Iowans to make this state the best in the country. Our goal is to make Iowa a state with low taxes and an affordable cost of living, a state with great schools for all students, and a state with good career opportunities in each community."

Senate Minority Leader Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, who is retiring this year, said in a statement that "it's clear that the defunding of our public schools resonated with voters, but unfortunately we came up short."

"We’ve seen significant pushback against Republican overreach, and while we have more work to do, our resolve is strong," Jochum said in a statement. "This fight isn’t over. Together, we will keep pushing for the future that Iowa families deserve and champion a better deal for all Iowans."

Democrats scored their lone Senate flip of the night in Iowa Senate District 22 in Urbandale, where former City Council member Matt Blake defeated longtime Republican Sen. Brad Zaun.

Blake said he thought his stances on education and abortion rights resonated with voters.

"I think people were ready for a change,” he said, calling Zaun extreme, "when it came to the abortion ban, when it came to book bans."

He said he wants to focus on "what Iowans are really worried about and really focused on — and not some of those cultural war politics that we’ve been kind of getting into."

Acknowledging that he’s limited in what he can accomplish as a minority member, Blake said he’s going to "add to the voices" that prioritize public education and prioritize the "autonomy of women in Iowa" to make their own health care decisions.

"I will take every opportunity I can to find the common-sense solutions," he said.

More: Democratic challenger Matt Blake upsets Republican incumbent Brad Zaun in Iowa Senate race

But at least two Democratic Senate incumbents appeared to be heading for defeat.

But Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, appeared to have lost his race to Republican Mike Pike in Senate District 20 in Polk County. Pike is ahead by 43 votes, 49.96% to 49.83%, according to unofficial results.

Pike called the results "surreal" in an interview with the Des Moines Register shortly after midnight Wednesday.

Pike said when it looked as if he had lost based on early election results, "I'd resigned myself to that." Then he found out it looked like he would win the race.

"So right now I'm cautiously optimistic still," he said just after midnight Wednesday morning. "So that's where I'm at."

Boulton said he plans to request a recount.

"We owe it to the people of the district to ensure that every vote is counted properly and fairly, especially in a close election," he said. "We saw changes in the reported totals tonight that tipped the balance of this race."

And Sen. Eric Giddens, D-Cedar Falls, appeared to have lost his race to Republican Dave Sires, a former member of the Cedar Falls City Council, in Senate District 38.

Neither race had been called by the Associated Press as of 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Democrats appeared on track to narrowly hold onto seats in Dallas and Dubuque counties after Tuesday's election.

Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott declared victory Tuesday night over Republican Mark Hanson in her bid to seek another term representing Senate District 14 in a race separated by only a handful of votes.

The district includes Waukee, Adel, Van Meter and parts of Clive and West Des Moines in Dallas County.

Trone Garriott claimed victory online at about 11 p.m., writing on social media, "Thank you to all who helped us win this race!"

With 99% of the vote in, Trone Garriott and Hanson both were at 50%, separated by 19 votes, according to the Iowa Secretary of State's office.

In Dubuque-based Senate District 36, where Jochum is retiring, Democrat Tom Townsend led Republican Nicholas Molo, 50.5% to 49.5%.

More: Republican newcomer Mike Pike holds 43-vote edge over incumbent Nate Boulton in Senate race

Des Moines Register reporters Marissa Payne, Donnelle Eller, Philip Joens and Kevin Baskins contributed to this report.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Republicans expand majorities in Iowa Legislature after strong night