Iowa Democrat Catelin Drey flips state senate seat to break GOP supermajority

Democrat Catelin Drey has won a special election for the Iowa State Senate, flipping a Republican-held seat and breaking the GOP’s supermajority, marking a significant political shift in the state. The election was held on August 26, 2025, in District 1, which covers the Sioux City area, to fill the vacancy left by the death of Republican Senator Rocky De Witt in June due to cancer. Drey defeated her Republican opponent, Christopher Prosch, by approximately 10 percentage points, with unofficial results showing 55% to 44% in her favor. This victory is particularly notable because the district had voted for former President Donald Trump by 11 points in the 2024 presidential election, indicating a substantial Democratic overperformance. Turnout was low, with around 7,600 voters participating, compared to nearly 22,000 in the November election, which is characteristic of special elections and can lead to unpredictable outcomes. Drey’s campaign focused on issues of affordability and economic concerns, emphasizing how rising costs impact Iowans regardless of background, a message that resonated widely with voters. The win breaks the Republican supermajority in the Iowa Senate, reducing GOP seats to 33 and increasing Democrats to 17 out of 50 total seats, which now allows Democrats to block nominations by Republican Governor Kim Reynolds to state agencies and boards. Republican leaders downplayed the loss, citing heavy Democratic spending and mobilization, while Democrats celebrated it as a sign of changing voter sentiments and potential momentum for the 2026 midterm elections. This result suggests a possible shift in Iowa’s political landscape, which has trended Republican in recent years but may be experiencing a Democratic resurgence.