2022 Election Wrap-Up

Nov 9, 2022 | Election Update, Legislative Update

Preliminary Results

Throughout the summer following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 2022 Midterm Elections were anticipated to be highly competitive. Then, in the closing weeks of the campaign, pundits and forecasters were bullish on a Republican “Red Wave” election. Initial results from Tuesday night make it clear national Democrats exceeded expectations and have limited Republican gains so far. Who will control the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate is still up in the air.

The story in Iowa runs contrary to Democrats’ overperformance across the country. With Governor Kim Reynolds winning by a large margin on top of the ticket, Republicans are poised to make gains in the state legislature and have defeated the nation’s longest serving state Attorney General and Treasurer. Democrat State Auditor Rob Sand’s race is too close to call and if he prevails, he would be the lone statewide elected Democrat.

Republicans have won or are leading in the Iowa U.S. Senate race and all four congressional seats. Below is a preliminary outline of results in Iowa and nationally. Please note these are not final, certified results. We will issue a final report after the election results are certified.

Statewide Races

Republicans led on the top of the ticket positioning them to hold every statewide office except State Auditor should Democrat Incumbent Rob Sand prevail in his hotly contested race. This was an unexpected upset as they took out both the Incumbent Attorney General and Treasurer.

Governor: Governor Kim Reynolds easily won reelection against Democrat Deidre DeJear currently leading 58% to 40%.

Auditor: Democrat Incumbent Auditor Rob Sand was not expected to be in a close race, but Republican Todd Halbur has made this one come down to the wire. Sand currently leads 50.1% to 49.9% with some votes still outstanding.

Secretary of State: Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate easily won reelection against Democrat Linn County Auditor Joel Miller. Pate currently leads 60% to 40%.

Attorney General: Incumbent Democrat Tom Miller was America’s longest serving state Attorney General until he was defeated by Republican County Attorney Brenna Bird on Tuesday. Bird currently leads Miller 50.8% to 49.2%.

State Treasurer: Incumbent Democrat Michael Fitzgerald was America’s longest serving state Treasurer until he was defeated by Republican State Senator Roby Smith on Tuesday. Smith currently leads Fitzgerald 51% to 49%.

U.S. SENATE

Incumbent Republican Senator Chuck Grassley faced his closest election challenge since he won his first term in 1980. The Democrat Candidate, retired United States Navy Vice Admiral Michael Franken, outperformed other Democrats running statewide. However, Grassley currently leads the race 56% to 44% easily winning reelection for another six-year term.

Nationally, the race for the U.S. Senate majority is still up in the air as we await results from Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia where a Dec. 6th runoff election could determine Senate control.

U.S. House of Representatives

Iowa is set to have a fully Republican congressional delegation for the first time in decades should initial results hold. Incumbent Republican Representatives Miller-Meeks, Hinson, and Feenstra won their races comfortably while Iowa’s lone Democrat Representative Cindy Axne currently trails her Republican opponent Iowa State Senator Zach Nunn by just over 2,000 votes.

Nationally, the U.S. House majority is still up in the air as we await results from contested races across the country. Pundits are still predicting Republicans will take the House, but the majority could very well be slim. Below is an overview of the U.S. House races as they stand:

IA-01

Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Incumbent R) – 53%

Iowa State Representative Christina Bohannan (D) – 47%

IA-02

Representative Ashley Hinson (Incumbent R) – 54%

Iowa State Senator Liz Mathis (D) – 46%

IA-03

Representative Cindy Axne (Incumbent D) – 49.7%, 153,905 votes

Iowa State Senator Zach Nunn (R) – 50.3%, 155,972 votes

IA-04

Representative Randy Feenstra (Incumbent R) – 67%

Ryan Melton (D) – 30%

IOWA SENATE

Prior to Tuesday’s election, Republicans held a 32-18 majority in the Iowa Senate. Despite Republican Senate President Jake Chapman losing to Democrat Senator Sarah Trone-Garriott in a hotly contested race set up by redistricting, Senate Republicans defeated two other incumbent Democrats and picked up an open seat to now hold a 34-seat supermajority in the Iowa Senate leaving 16 Senate Democrats in the chamber.

New Republican Senators:

  • Rocky De Witt, District 1, Lawton – Defeated Incumbent Democrat Senator Jackie Smith
  • Lynn Evans, District 3, Aurelia – Filled Uncontested Seat
  • Kevin Alons, District 7, Salix – Filled Uncontested Seat
  • Cherielynn Westrich, District 13, Ottumwa – Former Member of the Iowa House Defeated Democrat Matt Greiner
  • Mike Bousselot, District 21, Ankeny – Former Member of the Iowa House Defeated Democrat Candidate Todd Brady
  • Sandy Salmon, District 29, Janesville – Former Member of the Iowa House Defeated Democrat Jenn Wolff
  • Kerry Gruenhagen, District 41, Walcott – Defeated Democratic Candidate Deb VanderGaast in Open Seat
  • Charlie McClintock, District 42, Alburnett – Former Member of the Iowa House Defeated Democrat Candidate Jessica Wiskus
  • Scott Webster, District 47, Bettendorf – Defeated Democratic Candidate Mary Kathleen Figaro in Seat Previously Held by Senator Roby Smith

New Democrat Senators:

  • Izaah Knox, District 17, Des Moines – Defeated a Libertarian Candidate for Open Seat
  • Molly Donahue, District 37, Cedar Rapids – Former Member of the Iowa House Defeated Republican Kurt Bendixen
  • Liz Bennett, District 39, Cedar Rapids – Former Member of the Iowa House Defeated Republican Edward Bernie Hayes
  • Janice Weiner, District 45, Iowa City – Defeated Republican Harold Weilbrenner for this Open Seat
  • Cindy Winckler, District 49, Davenport – Former Member of the Iowa House Won Uncontested seat

Contested Incumbent vs. Incumbent Races:

  • Sarah Trone Garriott, District 14, West Des Moines – Defeated Republican Senate President Jake Chapman
  • Dawn Driscoll, District 46, Williamsburg – Defeated Democrat Senator Kevin Kinney

Senate Republicans are scheduled to meet Thursday to elect their leadership. Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver is expected to remain in his post, but the Senate President position is currently vacant due to Jake Chapman losing reelection. Senate Democrats will also meet to elect leadership in the coming weeks. New committee chairs and assignments will be announced after leadership is elected.

IOWA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Prior to the election, Republicans held a 60-40 majority in the Iowa House. Current results and projections predict Republicans will gain 4 seats and hold a 64-36 majority. However, a number of races are too close to call or could be subject to recounts so this number could fluctuate in the coming days.

Too Close to Call – Could Be Subject to Recount

  • HD 20 Council Bluffs – Democrat Josh Turek currently leads Republican Sarah Abdouch by 9 votes in contest to replace retiring Representative Charlie McConkey’s seat
  • HD 41 Ankeny – Democrat Molly Buck currently leads Republican Marvis Landon by 130 votes
  • HD 42 Ankeny – Former Democrat State Representative Heather Matson currently leads Incumbent Republican Representative Garrett Gobble by 24 votes
  • HD 81 Scott County – Republican Luana Stoltenberg currently leads Democrat Craig Lynn Cooper by 29 votes
  • HD 99 Burlington – Democrat Representative Dennis Cohoon currently trails his Republican Opponent Matthew Rinker by more than 700 votes, but it is projected nearly half of the vote is still to be counted

New Republican Representatives:

  • Robert Henderson, District 2, Sioux City – Defeated Incumbent Democrat Representative Steve Hansen
  • Zachary M. Dieken, District 5, Granville – Filled Uncontested Seat
  • Ken E. Carlson, District 13, Onawa – Filled Uncontested Seat
  • Devon Wood, District 17, New Marker – Defeated Democrat Candidate Pat Shipley in Open Seat
  • Hans C. Wilz, District 25, Ottumwa – Defeated Democrat Candidate Diana M. Swartz in Open Seat
  • Austin Harris, District 26, Moulton – Filled Uncontested Seat
  • David Young, 28, Van Meter – Former Congressman Young Defeated Democrat Candidate Sonya Heitshusen in Open Seat
  • Barb Kniff McCulla, 37, Pella – Defeated Democratic Candidate Mike Overman
  • Bill Gustoff, 40, Des Moines – Defeated Democrat MacKenzie Bills in Open Seat
  • Dan Gehlbach 46, Urbandale – Defeated Democrat Candidate Bridget Carberry Montgomery in Open Seat
  • Joshua Meggers, 54, Grundy Center – Filled Uncontested Seat
  • Mark Thompson, 56, Clarion – Defeated Libertarian Candidate Charles Aldrich
  • Charley Thomson, 58, Charles City – Defeated Democrat Candidate Dene Lundberg to Fill Seat of Retiring Democrat Representative Todd Prichard
  • Craig Johnson, 67, Independence – Former State Senator Defeated Democratic Candidate Terry McGovern in Open Seat
  • Tom Determann, 69, Clinton – Defeated Democrat Candidate Jennifer Hansen to Fill Seat of Retiring Democrat Representative Mary Wolfe
  • Derek Wulf, 76, Hudson – Defeated Democrat Candidate Kate Wyatt in Open Seat
  • Cindy Golding, 83, Cedar Rapids – Defeated Democrat Candidate Kris Nall in Seat Left Open by Representative Charlie McClintock who ran for Senate
  • Helena J. Hayes, 88, New Sharon – Defeated Democratic Candidate Lisa Ossian
  • Brad Sherman, 91, Williamsburg– Defeated Democrat Candidate Elle Wyant in Open Seat
  • Heather Hora, 92, Kalona—Defeated Democrat Candidate Eileen Beran
  • Mike Vondran, 94, Davenport – Defeated Incumbent Democrat Representative Phyllis Thede
  • Taylor Collins, 95, Mediapolis – Filled Uncontested Seat Left Open by Retiring Representative David Kerr

New Democrat Representatives:

  • D. Scholten, District 1, Sioux City – Filled Uncontested Seat
  • Megan L. Srinivas, 30, Des Moines – Defeated Republican Candidate Jerry Cheevers to Fill Seat of Retiring Democrat Representative Bruce Hunter
  • Mary Madison, 31, West Des Moines – Defeated Republican Candidate Justin Pearson to Fill Seat of Retiring Democrat Representative Kristin Sunde
  • Sean Bagniewski, 35, Des Moines – Defeated No Party Candidate Dennis McCullough to Fill Seat of Retiring Democrat Representative Marti Anderson
  • Austin Baeth, 36, Des Moines – Filled Uncontested Seat Left Open by Retiring Democrat Representative Jo Oldson
  • Jerome Amos Jr., 62, Waterloo – Filled Uncontested Seat Left Open by Retiring Democrat Representative Ras Smith
  • Elizabeth Wilson, 73, Marion – Defeated Republican Candidate Susie Weinacht to Fill Open Seat
  • Jeff Cooling, 77, Cedar Rapids – Filled Uncontested Seat
  • Sami Scheetz, 78, Cedar Rapids – Defeated Republican Candidate Anne Fairchild to Fill Seat of Representative Liz Bennett who ran for Senate
  • Elinor A. Levin, 89, Iowa City – Defeated Republican Candidate Jacob Onken
  • Adam Zabner, 90, Iowa City – Filled Uncontested Seat
  • Ken Croken, 97, Davenport – Filled Uncontested Seat Left Open by Representative Cindy Winckler who ran for Senate

House Republicans are scheduled to meet Thursday to elect their leadership. Speaker Pat Grassley and House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl are largely expected to maintain their positions. House Democrats will also meet to elect leadership in the coming weeks. New committee chairs and assignments will be announced in the coming weeks.