Democrat Renee Hardman secured a win in the Iowa Senate District 16 special election on Tuesday, triumphing over Republican contender Lucas Loftin.
Hardman’s victory “denies Republicans a two-thirds majority in the Senate, which would have enabled them to override the governor’s veto,” according to reports.
If Loftin had won, Republicans would have gained that crucial majority, allowing them to override vetoes, call special sessions, and pass the governor’s appointees on party lines.
Hardman’s success is a positive note for the Iowa Democratic Party as they wrap up the year. Earlier in January, Democrat Mike Zimmer flipped a Senate district that heavily supported Trump in 2020. Then, in August, Democrat Catelynn Dolly also flipped an open state Senate seat, challenging the Republican supermajority.
Hardman’s win follows Dolly’s victory in August, where she obtained “approximately 55 percent of the vote” in the Iowa Senate District 1 special election. This win helped the Iowa Democratic Party “gain 17 seats in the 50-member Iowa Senate, while Republicans hold 33 seats.”
With Dolly’s success, the Democrats broke the Republican two-thirds supermajority, which had allowed them to pass certain nominations and policies without any support from the Democrats. Moving forward, Republican leaders will need at least one Democratic senator’s support to approve appointments to various state boards and agencies.
Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner commented on Hardman’s victory, stating it was a historic moment. “Congratulations to state Sen.-elect Renee Hardman on her fantastic win in today’s election. She made history,” Weiner remarked. “Voters clearly resonated with Renee’s compelling campaign, highlighting her leadership and achievements as a City Council member in West Des Moines.”
Weiner also noted, “This victory in SD-16 brings Iowa Senate Democrats to a 3-3 tie in the 2025 Iowa Senate special election. We flipped two seats, held onto three, and countered the Republican supermajority.”
