Each Iowa legislative district that had a special election in 2025 swung at least 10 points toward Democrats. Will that continue in 2026's midterms?

This year’s midterm elections could draw heightened attention to Iowa because several high-profile seats are open, including the governor’s office, a U.S. Senate seat and multiple congressional races.

Following the November 2024 general election, Republicans expanded their majority to 67 out of 100 seats, which meets the two-thirds threshold required for a supermajority. Democrats hold 33 seats.

Renee Hardman won over Lucas Loftin in a special election to retain the District 16 Senate seat for Democrats after Claire Celsi's death.

Clean water advocate and author Chris Jones announced he is formally launching a campaign for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, centering his bid on what he calls Iowa's worsening water-quality crisis and the influence of industrial agribusiness.

Democrat Renee Hardman beat Republican Lucas Loftin by more than 40 percentage points in a special election Tuesday night. Hardman's win makes her the state's first Black female state senator.