Democrats in Iowa flipped a state senate seat in a district that overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump in the November election.
Democrat Mike Zimmer defeated Republican Kate Whittington in the special election for Senate District 35.
Zimmer, a retired teacher and president of the Central DeWitt School Board, received 52 percent of the vote to Whittington’s 48 percent.
Zimmer will serve the remainder of Republican Chris Cournoyer’s term. The lawmaker resigned in December to serve as lieutenant governor.
Cournoyer won the district in 2022 by 22 points and Trump carried the district by 21 points in November.
“This earthquake victory in Iowa puts Republicans across the country on notice,” Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said in a statement.
“In a ruby red district that Trump won by 21 points, DLCC candidate Mike Zimmer clinched a comfortable win against his extreme MAGA opponent,” Williams continued. “Tonight’s win marks the first flip of the cycle and builds on key majority-making wins in Virginia earlier this month. The DLCC is starting the new cycle strong just a month into 2025—from battlegrounds to Republican territory. We have dozens more special elections on the horizon—we’re only just getting started.”
[Featured Image: Mike Zimmer via Facebook]
