Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds withstood a Democrat surge in Iowa’s metropolitan areas in an election that saw several incumbent Republican state representatives lose. While Iowa House Democrats made gains they were unable to reclaim the majority. Iowa Senate Republicans expanded their majority.
With the exception of the State Auditor’s race, Iowa re-elected all of the statewide officials.
Executive Branch
Governor
Here are the unofficial results of Iowa’s gubernatorial race:
- Kim Reynolds/Adam Gregg (R) – 50.4% (662,633)
- Fred Hubbell/Rita Hart (D) – 47.4% (623,099)
- Jake Porter/Lynne Gentry (L) – 1.6% (21,095)
- Gary Siegwarth/Natalia Blaskovich (CWP) – 0.56 (7,349)
Secretary of State
Here are the unofficial results of Iowa’s Secretary of State race that saw incumbent Secretary of State Paul Pate win re-election to a third term (second consecutive term):
- Paul Pate (R) – 52.86% (680,998)
- Deidre DeJear (D) – 44.74% (576,349)
- Jules Ofenbakh (L) – 2.36% (30,372)
Auditor of State
State Auditor Mary Mosiman lost her re-election bid to her Democratic challenger Rob Sand. Here are the results:
- Rob Sand (D) – 50.87% (652,589)
- Mary Mosiman (R) – 46.53% (596,850)
- Fred Perryman (L) – 2.56% (32,889)
Treasurer of State
State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald defeated his Republican challenger Jeremy Davis handily. Here are the results:
- Michael Fitzgerald (D) – 54.75% (702,796)
- Jeremy Davis (R) – 42.82% (549,630)
- Timothy Hird (L) – 2.40% (30,791)
Secretary of Agriculture
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, who was appointed by Governor Reynolds when Bill Northey was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to a post at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, won his election beating Democratic challenger Tim Gannon.
Here are the results:
- Mike Naig (R) – 50.48% (646,928)
- Tim Gannon (D) – 46.48% (595,703)
- Rick Stewart (L) – 2.99% (38,354)
Attorney General
Long-serving Attorney General of Iowa Tom Miller easily defeated his Libertarian challenger Marco Battaglia. Republicans did not nominate a candidate for this race.
Here are the results:
- Tom Miller (D) – 76.50% (871,640)
- Marco Battaglia (L) – 22.79% (259,628)
Legislative Races
After Tuesday evening, Republicans still control the Iowa House and Iowa Senate.
Iowa House
Democrats needed to pick up 10 seats in order to flip the Iowa House. They fell short even though they unseated several incumbents and flipped a total of seven seats:
- State Representative Kevin Koester (R-Ankeny) lost to Heather Matson in Iowa House District 38.
- State Representative Jake Highfill (R-Johnston) lost to Karin Deery in Iowa House District 39.
- State Representative Peter Cownie (R-Des Moines) lost to Kristin Sunde in Iowa House District 42.
- State Representative Walt Rogers (R-Cedar Falls) lost to Dave Williams in Iowa House District 60.
- Democrats also picked up a seat in Iowa House District 43 that was an open seat after Iowa House Majority Leader Chris Hagenow moved to Dallas County for a safer district.
- Democrats won Iowa House District 44 left open after State Representative Rob Taylor (R-West Des Moines) declined to run for re-election.
- Democrats also picked up Iowa House District 68 that was open after State Representative Ken Rizer (R-Cedar Rapids) decided not to run for re-election.
Democrats also lost two seats.
- Iowa House District 9 that was open due to the retirement of State Representative Helen Miller (D-Ft. Dodge).
- State Representative Phil Miller (D-Fairfield) was narrowly defeated (43 votes) by Republican challenger Jeff Shipley in Iowa House District 82.
As of now Democrats only have a net gain of five.
That said, Iowa House District 55 is extremely close. There are only eight votes separating State Representative Michael Bergan (R-Dorchester) and his Democratic challenger Kayla Koether. So the outcome of that race could change.
So when the dust settles in Iowa House District 55, Iowa House Republicans will have either a 54 to 46 majority or 53 to 47 majority. If for some reason Iowa House District 82 flips upon official results, Iowa House Republicans will still have a 4-6 person majority.
Iowa Senate
Iowa Senate Republicans expanded their majority to 32 to 18.
They picked up four seats and lost one.
- Iowa Senate District 1 was an open seat after State Senator David Johnson (I-Ocheydan) decided not to run for re-election. Zach Whiting ran unopposed in the general after a three-way primary.
- Iowa Senate District 15 was open after State Senator Chaz Allen (D-Newton) decided not to run. State Representative Zach Nunn (R-Bondurant) won on Tuesday night.
- In Senate District 29, State Senator Tod Bowman (D-Makoqueta) was defeated by his Republican challenger Carrie Koelker.
- Chris Cournoyer, a Republican, won in Iowa Senate District 49, an open seat after State Senator Rita Hart (D-Wheatland) did not run because she was the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor.
Republicans lost one seat when State Senator Rick Bertrand (R-Sioux City) lost to former Woodbury County Supervisor Jackie Smith.
Democrats needed to pick-up five seats, but they went the other direction.
