In a political upset with major implications for state politics, Iowa Democrat Catelin Drey on Tuesday defeated Republican Christopher Prosch in a special election.
Drey flipped a Republican-held seat in the state Senate, breaking the GOP’s supermajority in the upper chamber. for the first time in three years, according to unofficial results from the Woodbury County Auditor’s Office.
According to Fox News, Drey secured 55% of the vote in the race to replace late Republican state Sen. Rocky De Witt, who passed away in June at age 66 after battling pancreatic cancer.
This marks the second time this year that Democrats have flipped a Republican-controlled state Senate seat in Iowa. In January, Democrat Mike Zimmer defeated Republican Katie Whittington in another special election — in a district President Donald Trump won by more than 20 points.
Now, Drey has done the same in a district Trump carried by more than 11 points last year.
Democrats are already pointing to the victory as part of a broader trend in 2025, as they aim to build momentum heading into next year’s midterm elections, with hopes of retaking control of the U.S. House and Senate.
“Iowans are seeing Republicans for who they are: self-serving liars who will throw their constituents under the bus to rubber stamp Donald Trump’s disastrous agenda — and they’re ready for change,” Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin said in a statement following the win.
“They are putting Republicans on notice and making it crystal clear: any Republican pushing Trump’s unpopular, extreme agenda has no place governing on behalf of Iowa families,” he continued. “That’s why all year long, Iowans have been electing Democrats ready to fight for working Iowans. Make no mistake: when Democrats organize everywhere, we win everywhere, and today is no exception.”
Drey’s victory breaks the GOP’s two-thirds supermajority in the Iowa state Senate, granting Democrats new leverage — particularly the power to block the governor’s nominees, who require a supermajority for confirmation.
With both parties watching closely, Iowa has suddenly become a battleground to watch as 2026 approaches.
