Iowa Senate
Upper house of the Iowa General Assembly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Iowa Senate | |
|---|---|
| Iowa General Assembly | |
| |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
New session started | January 13, 2023 |
| Leadership | |
President | |
President pro tempore | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 50 |
| |
Political groups | Majority
Minority |
Length of term | 4 years |
| Authority | Legislative Department, Section 3, Iowa Constitution |
| Salary | $25,000/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
Last election | November 5, 2024 (25 seats) |
Next election | November 3, 2026 (25 seats) |
| Redistricting | Legislative Service Agency with legislative approval |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| State Senate Chamber Iowa State Capitol Des Moines, Iowa | |
| Website | |
| Iowa General Assembly | |
| Rules | |
| 90th General Assembly Senate Rules | |
The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 seats in the Iowa Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state of Iowa with populations of approximately 63,807 per constituency, as of the 2020 United States census[update].[2] Each Senate district is composed of two House districts. The Senate meets at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines.
Unlike the lower house, the Iowa House of Representatives, senators serve four-year terms, with no term limits. Terms are staggered so that half the Senate is up for reelection every two years.
Leadership
The President of the Senate presides over the body, whose powers include referring bills to committees, recognizing members during debate, and making procedural rulings. Unlike the more powerful Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, the Senate President cannot appoint committee chairmanships or shuffle committee memberships.[3] The lieutenant governor of Iowa was the presiding officer of the Senate until 1988, when an amendment to the Constitution of Iowa was passed in a referendum (effective from 1991).[4] The other partisan Senate leadership positions, such as the Majority and Minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses to head their parties in the chamber.
The President of the Senate is Republican Amy Sinclair of the 12th District. The Majority Leader is Republican Jack Whitver of the 23rd District. The Minority Leader is Democrat Janice Weiner of the 36th District.[5]
Committee leadership
| Committee | Chair | Vice chair | Ranking member |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Dan Zumbach | Annette Sweeney | Kevin Kinney |
| Appropriations | Tim Kraayenbrink | Mark Lofgren | Joe Bolkcom |
| Commerce | Jason Schultz | Carrie Koelker | Jim Lykam |
| Education | Amy Sinclair | Jeff Taylor | Herman Quirmbach |
| Ethics | Carrie Koelker | Jim Carlin | Pam Jochum |
| Government Oversight | Jason Schultz | Craig Williams | |
| Human Resources | Jeff Edler | Mark Costello | Liz Mathis |
| Judiciary | Brad Zaun | Julian Garrett | Kevin Kinney |
| Labor and Business Relations | Zach Whiting | Jesse Green | Nate Boulton |
| Local Government | Tom Shipley | Mike Klimesh | Jackie Smith |
| Natural Resources and Environment | Annette Sweeney | Dawn Driscoll | Sarah Trone Garriott |
| Rules and Administration | Jack Whitver | Jake Chapman | Zach Wahls |
| State Government | Roby Smith | Chris Cournoyer | Tony Bisignano |
| Transportation | Waylon Brown | Adrian Dickey | Eric Giddens |
| Veterans Affairs | Jim Carlin | Jeff Reichman | Eric Giddens |
| Ways and Means | Dan Dawson | Tim Goodwin | Pam Jochum |
*All chairs and vice chairs are Republicans. All ranking members are Democrats.[6]
Current composition
| Affiliation | Party (shading indicates majority caucus) |
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | Ind | Vacant | ||
| End 2012 | 26 | 23 | 0 | 49 | 1 |
| 2013–2014 | 26 | 24 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| Begin 2015 | 26 | 24 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| End 2016 session[7] | 23 | 1 | |||
| 2017–2018 | 20 | 29 | 1 | 50 | 0 |
| 2019–2022 | 18 | 32 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| 2023–2024 | 16 | 34 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| Begin 2025[8] | 15 | 34 | 0 | 49 | 1 |
| January 28, 2025[9] | 16 | 50 | 0 | ||
| June 25, 2025[10] | 33 | 49 | 1 | ||
| August 26, 2025[11] | 17 | 50 | 0 | ||
| October 6, 2025[12] | 16 | 49 | 1 | ||
| December 30, 2025[13] | 17 | 50 | 0 | ||
| Latest voting share | 34% | 66% | |||
Senators
| District | Portrait | Senator | Party | Counties represented | First elected | Standing committee leader | Appropriations subcommittee member |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Catelin Drey | Democratic | Woodbury | 2025[a] | ||
| 2 |  |
Jeff Taylor | Republican | Plymouth and Sioux | 2020 | Education (Vice Chair) | Education (Chair) |
| 3 |  |
Lynn Evans | Republican | Osceola, O'Brien, Clay, Cherokee, and Buena Vista | 2022 | Education | |
| 4 |  |
Tim Kraayenbrink | Republican | Calhoun, Pocahontas, Sac, and Webster | 2014 | Appropriations (Chair), Technology (Vice Chair) | |
| 5 |  |
Dave Rowley | Republican | Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, Palo Alto, and Winnebago | 2020 | Administration and Regulation Appropriations (Chair) | |
| 6 |  |
Jason Schultz | Republican | Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Ida, and Shelby | 2014 | State Government (Chair) | |
| 7 |  |
Kevin Alons | Republican | Cherokee, Monona, Plymouth, and Woodbury | 2022 | Health and Human Services | |
| 8 |  |
Mark Costello | Republican | Fremont, Harrison, Mills, and Pottawattamie | 2014[b] | Ethics (Vice Chair) | Health and Human Services (Chair) |
| 9 |  |
Tom Shipley | Republican | Adams, Cass, Montgomery, Page, Ringgold, Taylor, and Union | 2014 | Ethics (Chair), Natural Resources and Environment (Vice Chair) | Agriculture and Natural Resources |
| 10 |  |
Dan Dawson | Republican | Pottawattamie | 2016 | Ways and Means (Chair) | |
| 11 |  |
Julian Garrett | Republican | Marion and Warren | 2013[c] | Judiciary (Vice Chair) | Justice System (Chair) |
| 12 |  |
Amy Sinclair | Republican | Adair, Appanoose, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Lucas, Madison, Union, and Wayne | 2012 | Government Oversight (Chair), Rules and Administration (Vice Chair) | |
| 13 |  |
Cherielynn Westrich | Republican | Appanoose, Davis, Monroe, and Wapello | 2022 | Justice System (Vice Chair) | |
| 14 |  |
Sarah Trone Garriott | Democratic | Dallas | 2020 | Health and Human Services (Ranking Member) | Health and Human Services |
| 15 |  |
Tony Bisignano | Democratic | Polk | 2014 | State Government (Ranking Member), Agriculture (Ranking Member) | |
| 16 |  |
Renee Hardman | Democratic | Dallas and Polk | 2025[d] | ||
| 17 |  |
Izaah Knox | Democratic | Polk | 2022 | Natural Resources and Environment (Ranking Member) | Education |
| 18 |  |
Janet Petersen | Democratic | Polk | 2012 | Appropriations (Ranking Member) | Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals (Ranking Member) |
| 19 |  |
Ken Rozenboom | Republican | Jasper, Mahaska, and Marion | 2012 | Agriculture (Vice Chair), Education (Chair) | |
| 20 |  |
Mike Pike | Republican | Polk | 2024 | ||
| 21 |  |
Mike Bousselot | Republican | Polk | 2022 | Commerce (Vice Chair) | Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals (Vice Chair) |
| 22 |  |
Matt Blake | Democratic | Polk | 2024 | ||
| 23 |  |
Jack Whitver | Republican | Dallas and Polk | 2011[e] | Rules and Administration (Chair) | |
| 24 |  |
Jesse Green | Republican | Boone, Dallas, Greene, Guthrie, and Story | 2020 | Local Government (Chair) | |
| 25 |  |
Herman Quirmbach | Democratic | Story | 2002 | Education (Ranking Member) | Economic Development |
| 26 |  |
Kara Warme | Republican | Marshall and Story | 2024 | ||
| 27 |  |
Annette Sweeney | Republican | Black Hawk, Grundy, Hardin, Poweshiek, and Tama | 2018 | Natural Resources and Environment (Chair) | Agriculture and Natural Resources (Vice Chair) |
| 28 |  |
Dennis Guth | Republican | Franklin, Hancock, Hamilton, Humbolt, and Wright | 2012 | N/A | Administration and Regulation (Vice Chair) |
| 29 |  |
Sandy Salmon | Republican | Bremer, Butler, Chickasaw, and Floyd | 2022 | Veterans Affairs (Vice Chair) | Justice System |
| 30 |  |
Doug Campbell | Republican | Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Mitchell, and Worth | 2024 | ||
| 31 |  |
William Dotzler | Democratic | Black Hawk | 2002 | Veterans Affairs (Ranking Member) | Economic Development (Ranking Member) |
| 32 |  |
Mike Klimesh | Republican | Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek | 2020 | Government Oversight (Vice Chair); Transportation (Chair) | Health and Human Services |
| 33 |  |
Carrie Koelker | Republican | Dubuque, Jones, and Jackson | 2018 | Was and Means (Vice Chair) | Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals (Chair) |
| 34 |  |
Dan Zumbach | Republican | Black Hawk, Buchanan, Delaware, Dubuque, and Fayette | 2012 | Appropriations(Vice Chair) | Agriculture and Natural Resources (Chair) |
| 35 | .jpg) |
Mike Zimmer | Democratic | Clinton, Jackson, and Scott | 2025[f] | ||
| 36 |  |
Thomas Townsend | Democratic | Dubuque | 2024 | ||
| 37 |  |
Molly Donahue | Democratic | Linn | 2022 | Workforce (Ranking Member) | Health and Human Services (Ranking Member) |
| 38 |  |
Dave Sires | Republican | Benton, Black Hawk, and Tama | 2024 | ||
| 39 |  |
Liz Bennett | Democratic | Linn | 2022 | Technology (Ranking Member) | Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals |
| 40 |  |
Art Staed | Democratic | Linn | 2024 | ||
| 41 |  |
Kerry Gruenhagen | Republican | Cedar, Muscatine, and Scott | 2022 | Economic Development | |
| 42 |  |
Charlie McClintock | Republican | Benton and Linn | 2022 | Workforce (Vice Chair) | Justice System |
| 43 |  |
Zach Wahls | Democratic | Johnson | 2018 | Rules and Administration (Ranking Member) | |
| 44 |  |
Adrian Dickey | Republican | Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, and Van Buren | 2021[g] | Workforce (Chair); Transportation (Vice Chair) | Economic Development |
| 45 |  |
Janice Weiner | Democratic | Johnson | 2022 | Local Government (Ranking Member) | Agriculture and Natural Resources |
| 46 |  |
Dawn Driscoll | Republican | Iowa, Johnson. and Washington | 2020 | Agriculture (Chair) | |
| 47 |  |
Scott Webster | Republican | Scott | 2022 | Administration and Regulation | |
| 48 |  |
Mark Lofgren | Republican | Des Moines, Henry, Louisa, and Muscatine | 2016 | Local Government (Vice Chair) | Economic Development (Chair) |
| 49 |  |
Cindy Winckler | Democratic | Scott | 2022 | Ethics (Ranking Member) | Education (Ranking Member) |
| 50 |  |
Jeff Reichman | Republican | Des Moines and Lee | 2020 | Veterans Affairs (Chair) | |
Notes
- First elected in an August 26, 2025 special election
- First elected in a December 30, 2014 special election.
- First elected in a November 19, 2013 special election.
- First elected in an December 30, 2025 special election
- First elected in a January 18, 2011 special election.
- First elected in a January 28, 2025 special election.
- First elected in a January 26, 2021 special election.
Past notable members
Federal offices
10 members became US Senators including: Samuel J. Kirkwood, George G. Wright, James F. Wilson, Albert B. Cummins (also served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate), Lafayette Young, George A. Wilson, Guy Gillette, Jack Miller, Roger Jepsen and Joni Ernst.
5 members became members of the US House of Representatives including: James F. Wilson, Madison Miner Walden, Steve King, Randy Feenstra and Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
3 members became Federal Cabinet Members including: Samuel J. Kirkwood as Secretary of Interior, George W. McCrary, Secretary of War and Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture.
State offices
13 members became Governor including: Samuel J. Kirkwood, William Larrabee, Beryl F. Carroll, Albert B. Cummins, Warren Garst, John Hammill (served as Acting Governor in 1922, then Governor in 1925), Daniel Webster Turner, George A. Wilson, William S. Beardsley, Leo Elthon, Robert D. Fulton, Tom Vilsack and Kim Reynolds.
28 members became Lieutenant Governor including: Nicholas J. Rusch, John R. Needham, Enoch W. Eastman, Benjamin F. Gue, John Scott, Madison Miner Walden, Henry C. Bulis, Joseph Dysart, Frank T. Campbell, Alfred N. Poyneer, Samuel L. Bestow, Warren S. Dungan, Mathies Parrott, Warren Garst, John Hammill, Clem F. Kimball, Arch W. McFarlane, John K. Valentine, Kenneth A. Evans, Leo Elthon, Edward J. McManus, Robert D. Fulton, Roger Jepsen, Arthur Neu, Joy Corning, Patty Judge, Kim Reynolds and Chris Cournoyer.
1 member was twice the Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court and Associate Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court: George G. Wright
3 members held state level elected positions including: Beryl F. Carroll as Iowa State Auditor from 1903 to 1909, Richard C. Turner as Attorney General of Iowa from 1968 to 1979 and Patty Judge as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture from 1999 to 2007.
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