Democrats won a special election in Iowa on Tuesday, flipping a longtime Republican state Senate seat and breaking the GOP’s supermajority. The victory gives Democrats 17 seats in the chamber to Republicans’ 33. Catelin Drey, a Democrat, defeated Republican Christopher Prosch in a special election to fill the seat of the late GOP state Sen. Rocky De Witt. With her win, Democrats now hold 17 seats in the 50-member Senate, while Republicans control 33.
The Democratic National Committee invested heavily in the race, deploying 30,000 volunteers in a large-scale get-out-the-vote push. DNC Chairman Ken Martin said the committee has ignored down-ballot races “for far too long” and hailed the win as a sign that voters in traditionally Republican areas are open to change. Breaking the supermajority means that future gubernatorial nominees in Iowa will need at least some Democratic support to be confirmed.
Party leaders emphasized the significance of winning in a district that voted for former President Donald Trump by more than 11 points in 2024Martin said the win shows that Iowans are rejecting Trump’s extreme agenda and sending Republicans a clear warning in a statement. “When Democrats organize everywhere, we win every where, and today is no exception.”
This is the second Iowa state Senate seat Democrats have flipped this year, following another win in January. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which leads state-level campaign efforts, called the victory a “flashing warning” for Trump and the GOP’s “failing MAGA agenda.” Heather Williams, DLCC president, praised Sen.-elect Drey’s campaign, saying Democrats are “delivering progress, responding to their communities’ concerns about the chaos in Washington, and providing the steady leadership voters are asking for.”
Nationally, Republicans continue to control a majority of state legislative seats and chambers. But Democratic leaders argue that wins like these prove momentum is shifting in their favor, especially in battleground areas where Trump’s influence has begun to wane. With more special elections ahead, Democrats say they plan to keep building on this momentum.
