Big changes are happening in Iowa’s state leadership. Senator Mike Klimesh was elected Senate Majority Leader following Senator Jack Whitver’s retirement, Governor Reynolds announced new appointments in key departments, and the Iowa DOGE Task Force has issued its final recommendations for government efficiency.
Klimesh Elected Senate Majority Leader and Appoints New Chairs
After over six years in the position, State Senator Jack Whitver announced his retirement as Senate Majority Leader and disclosed that he will not seek reelection in 2026. Senator Whitver served as Majority Leader since March 2018 has stepped down to focus on his family and ongoing cancer treatment, according to a statement released by the Iowa Senate Republicans on Tuesday, September 16. This announcement opened a vacancy in the highest leadership position in the Iowa Senate.
On Wednesday, September 24, Iowa Senate Republicans met at the Capitol and elected Senator Mike Klimesh as the new Majority Leader heading into the 2026 legislative session.
Senator Mike Klimesh graduated in 1987 from South Winneshiek High School. He graduated from Luther College in 1991 with a degree in political science. Senator Klimesh met his wife, Kate, when they were students at Luther College. Since graduating from Luther, Senator Klimesh has managed Graphics Inc. for 20 years and served a total of 22 years as the mayor of Spillville. Community is important to Senator Klimesh, who has served on the emergency management commission, the Winneshiek County Economic Development Board, and Winneshiek County Tourism. He has also served on the Winneshiek County Community Foundation Board, the Winneshiek County Mayors Coalition, and several other boards and commissions. (Iowa Senate Republicans)
The week after his appointment, Majority Leader Klimesh announced two new committee chairs as his replacements on the Health and Human Services and Administrative Rules Review Committees. Senator Kara Warme, a Republican from Ames, was appointed chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, and Senator Dave Rowley, Republican from Spirit Lake, was appointed co-chair of the Administrative Rules Review Committee.
With recent leadership changes in both the Iowa House and Senate, the release of additional committee updates in both chambers is anticipated in the coming weeks.
Iowa DOGE Task Force Issues Recommendations
The Iowa DOGE Task Force met on for its final meeting in September to discuss the previously proposed ideas for government efficiency within the state. The final report was due to Governor Reynolds on September 29, and the Governor’s Office is currently reviewing its content. The report and its recommendations are expected to be made available to the public after the Governor’s review. The DOGE committee and report are part of the Governor’s broader government realignment strategy to improve efficiency and lower costs.
Larry Johnson Appointed as Iowa HHS Director
Governor Kim Reynolds announced the departure of former Iowa Health and Human Services (HHS) Director Kelly Garcia on Monday, September 22 and appointed Larry Johnson, the current Director of the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL), as Garcia’s successor. In a release accompanying the news, Governor Reynolds stated,
“Since her arrival in Iowa, Director Garcia has led with vision and dedication, driving transformative progress within Iowa’s health and human services systems. Her leadership at HHS has delivered meaningful results for Iowans across our state.”
Director Larry Johnson boasts a 14-year career in state government, including service as Director of DIAL, State Public Defender, and as Legal Counsel to Governor Terry Branstad. Director Johnson will begin work at Iowa HHS in mid-October, and Aaron Baack, the Deputy Director and Chief Operations Officer at DIAL, will serve as DIAL’s interim director.
Mark Campbell Appointed Director of Iowa Department of Administrative Services
Former Warren County Supervisor and small business owner Mark Campbell was appointed by Governor Reynolds to lead the Iowa Department of Administrative Services (DAS) as its next Director. Kraig Paulsen, Director of the Department of Management, served as interim director during the leadership transition.
Director Campbell served as Vice Chair of the Iowa State Association of Counties Board of Directors and chaired the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. In the release, Governor Reynolds expressed,
“Mark’s career reflects his dedication to leadership, business innovation, and community progress… He is keenly focused on doing his part to help build a stronger future for Iowa, and I know he will bring that mindset and dedication to DAS as its new leader.”
Iowa House District 7 Special Election
Former Representative Mike Sexton resigned from his seat representing Iowa’s Seventh House District, which includes Calhoun, Pocahontas, and Sac Counties and part of Webster County, to accept a federal appointment as the Director for USDA Rural Development in Iowa. Representative Sexton was elected in 2014 and served as the chair for the House Agriculture Committee since 2022.
Governor Reynolds issued a proclamation to set the special election to fill the seat for Tuesday, December 9, which marks the fifth special legislative election in 2025. Current individuals running for the open seat include Wendy Larson (R), who ran against Sexton for the Republican nomination in 2024; Dan DeWall (R), a farmer and financial advisor; and Rachel Burns (D), the EMS service director for the Kiron Volunteer FD and speech pathologist.
The district is one of the most Republican districts in Iowa with President Trump defeating Vice-President Kamala Harris by a margin of 50.6%.
Senator Claire Celsi Passes Away
State Senator Claire Celsi passed away after from an undisclosed health issue after entering hospice care in mid-September. The Democratic senator missed several key votes in 2025 for medical reasons, returning to the Senate after a surgery in April. Senator Claire Celsi was elected to the Iowa Senate in 2018 to represent Iowa Senate District 16, which includes parts of West Des Moines, Clive, and Windsor Heights, and serves as the ranking member of the Government Oversight Committee. Governor Kim Reynolds is required to set a special election date later this year, which will mark the seventh special election of 2025.
Trade Tensions Continue to Impact Iowa Farmers
As we enter harvest season, Iowa soybean farmers are feeling the impacts of continued trade disputes between the United States and China. China has not a single shipment of US soybeans since May, pivoting instead to suppliers in Brazil and Argentina. The American Soybean Association lists China as the world’s largest purchaser of soybeans—importing 61% of the worlds’ traded soybean supplies. Without access to the Chinese market, Iowa’s soybean farmers could see further declines in the value of their crop.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley criticized the Trump administration for providing financial support for Argentina, writing on X, “Why would USA help bail out Argentina while they take American soybean producers’ biggest market???”
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig visited India on a trade mission this month, which included programs and meetings related to opening India’s markets to Iowa agricultural products.
Federal Government Shuts Down
The federal government shut down on Wednesday, October 1, after Congress failed to pass a funding bill. Earlier in September, the Republican-controlled House passed a bill to keep the government funded at current levels through Friday, November 21, but Senate Democrats refused to lend their support, instead opting to use the shutdown as leverage to force Republicans to discuss the Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of the year. Senate Democrats proposed their own short-term funding measure, but the vote failed largely along party lines. Because of the Senate filibuster, a bipartisan vote is needed to end the shutdown.
During the government shutdown, critical services, such as Social Security, VA benefits and Medicare and Medicaid payments, will continue, but benefit recipients may experience delays. “Nonessential” federal services will be more directly impacted, and several hundred thousand federal employees are expected to be furloughed, and approximately two million federal employees will not receive pay.
The Senate remains divided on the House-passed bill to extend funding for seven weeks, and the chamber failed to pass an agreement after debate on Monday afternoon. The House altered its schedule to recess for the week while the Senate works through the different funding proposals.
In the meantime, President Trump stated that he met with Russ Vought, the head of the Office of Management and Budget, to discuss cutting select projects and services to increase the pressure on federal elected officials to reach a compromise and fund the government. The shutdown and negotiations could have increasingly large impacts on all parts of the country the longer the shutdown persists.
2026 Election Tracker
| IA-01 | |
| Name | Party |
| Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (No Public Announcement) | R, Incumbent |
| David Pautsch | R |
| Christina Bohannan | D |
| Travis Terrell | D |
| Taylor Wettach | D |
| IA-02 | |
| Name | Party |
| State Rep. Lindsay James | D |
| State Sen. Charlie McClintock | R |
| State Rep. Shannon Lundgren | R |
| Former US Rep. Rod Blum | R |
| Former Rep. Joe Mitchell | R |
| Kathy Dolter | D |
| Clint Twedt-Ball | D |
| Don Primus | D |
| IA-03 | |
| Name | Party |
| Rep. Zach Nunn | R, Incumbent |
| State Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott | D |
| State Rep. Jennifer Konfrst | D |
| Xavier Carrigan | D |
| Tracy Limon | D |
| IA-04 | |
| Name | Party |
| State Rep. Matt Windschitl | R |
| Chris McGowan | R |
| Ryan Rhodes | R |
| Christian Schlaefer | R |
| Stephanie Steiner | D |
| Ashley WolfTornabane | D |
| Dave Dawson | D |
| Governor | |
| Name | Party |
| State Auditor Rob Sand | D |
| Former State Rep. Brad Sherman | R |
| State Rep. Eddie Andrews | R |
| Adam Steen | R |
| Julie Stauch | D |
| Paul Dahl | D |
| State Sen. Mike Bousselot (Exploratory Committee) | R |
| Rep. Randy Feenstra (Exploratory Committee) | R |
| Attorney General | |
| Name | Party |
| Nate Willems | D |
| Attorney General Brenna Bird | R, Incumbent |
| State Auditor | |
| Name | Party |
| Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer | R |
| Abigail Maas | R |
| Secretary of State | |
| Name | Party |
| Secretary of State Paul Pate | R, Incumbent |
| Ryan Peterman | D |
