As Iowa closes out 2025, a wave of political, budgetary, and administrative developments is setting the stage for a consequential 2026 legislative session. From upcoming special elections and new committee leadership to the release of the Iowa DOGE Task Force’s final recommendations and fresh revenue projections, state leaders are navigating a fast-shifting landscape. At the federal level, the end of the historic government shutdown adds another layer of complexity as policymakers prepare for an election year defined by tight budgets, competing priorities, and significant public interest.
Special Elections
Two districts are preparing for special elections yet this year. On Tuesday, December 9, voters in Iowa House District 7, which includes Calhoun, Pocahontas, and Sac Counties and part of Webster County, will vote for a new state representative. Former Representative Mike Sexton resigned to accept a federal appointment as the Director for USDA Rural Development in Iowa. Candidates for the vacant seat include Wendy Larson (R), a small local business owner, and Rachel Burns (D), a speech-language pathologist. Notably, Larson attempted to unseat Sexton in the 2024 GOP primary, losing by 53 votes. Sexton won the 2024 election with 83.4% of the vote against an independent with no Democrat on the ballot. Larson is expected to win the seat, given the strong Republican nature of the district.
Additionally, Iowa Senate District 16 will hold the sixth and final special election of the year on Tuesday, December 30, to fill the vacant seat after the passing of Senator Claire Celsi. Iowa Senate District 16 includes the cities of West Des Moines, Windsor Heights, and Clive, and Celsi won the district with 58.1% in 2022, her last race against a Republican. Candidates for the vacant seat include Lucas Loftin (R), an employee-owner at Wright Service Corp., and Renee Hardman (D), a member of the West Des Moines city council. Democrats are expected to retain this seat and to maintain the party balance in the Iowa Senate.
While neither seat is expected to be particularly close, both parties are engaging due to the unpredictable nature of low-turnout special elections. Additionally, campaigns around the country will look to see if Democrats continue to overperform compared to 2024 in Iowa special elections as an indicator for the 2026 mid-term elections.
New House Committee Chairs Appointed Ahead of Session
Leadership transitions in both chambers are reshaping the Iowa Legislature ahead of the 2026 session. Campaign announcements and Representative Bobby Kaufmann’s election as House Majority Leader, which left the powerful Ways and Means Committee without a chair, set off a ripple effect as 10 new House committee chairs were announced for the upcoming legislative session.
Additionally, the Iowa House Democrats announced committee assignments for 2026.
State Senator Mike Bousselot Announces Re-Election to District 23
State Senator Mike Bousselot announced his intention to seek re-election to the Iowa Senate in the 2026 election. District 23 is currently represented by Senator Jack Whitver (R), the former Senate Majority Leader, who announced his decision not to seek re-election in 2026 earlier this fall.
Senator Bousselot launched an exploratory committee for Iowa Governor when Governor Kim Reynolds announced she would not seek re-election in 2026.
In a press release accompanying the release, Senator Bousselot expressed, “I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and encouragement from Iowans regarding my potential campaign for governor… it is not the right time for me to pursue a run for governor.”
Iowa DOGE Task Force Issues Recommendations
The Iowa DOGE Task Force met for its final meeting in September to discuss the previously proposed ideas for government efficiency within the state. The DOGE committee and full report are part of the Governor’s broader government realignment strategy to improve efficiency and lower costs.
The final recommendations were due to Governor Reynolds on September 29, and the subsequent full report was released in October. The task force formed three working groups focusing on the areas of Workforce Improvement, Leveraging Technology, and Return on Taxpayer Investment, issuing opportunity areas and recommendations for improvements within each area.
Revenue Estimating Conference
Budget realities will be a defining factor of the 2026 session. The Iowa Revenue Estimating Conference forecasts $8.13 billion in revenue for FY 2026, a 9% drop from FY 2025. At the same time, General Fund appropriations for FY 2026 are set at $9.42 billion, an increase of roughly 5.4% from FY 2025. This creates a gap between ongoing revenues and ongoing spending, requiring policymakers to lean on existing balances and one-time resources to keep the budget in balance. Legislators have pointed out that this gap is anticipated due to recent tax cuts and that Iowa has large reserve balances to cover the deficit until revenues increase sufficiently.
The Taxpayer Relief Fund is projected to reach $3.65 billion by the end of FY 2026, the Cash Reserve Fund is expected to close at about $636.9 million, and the Economic Emergency Fund is expected to close at $212.3 billion. Iowa is forecasted to end the fiscal year with a combined surplus of roughly $1.61 billion and combined cash reserves of $6.1 billion . In this constrained environment, any bill with a fiscal impact will face heightened scrutiny. Spending on core services like K-12 education and Medicaid, while still delivering political priorities such as property tax relief, will force difficult trade-offs in an election-year session.
The Revenue Estimating Conference will meet once more in December of this year, and those projections will be utilized to create the Governor’s FY 2027 budget.
Federal Government Shutdown
After 43 days, Congress voted to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, and President Donald Trump signed the legislation late in the evening on Wednesday, November 12. The funding package extends funding for most federal agencies through January 30, 2026, and agencies such as the Department of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs are funded through the end of the fiscal year. This includes SNAP funding, but the timetable for benefit distribution post-shutdown has yet to be released.
Over 670,000 federal employees were furloughed, and unless directed otherwise, these individuals returned to work immediately. All federal workers will receive backpay, which they are entitled to under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019.
During the shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered 40 airports to reduce flights by 10%. Immediately following the reopening of the government, 6% reduction in flights remained in place. As of Monday, November 16, all airports returned to normal operations.
While the federal government is open, debates surrounding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies—one of the main reasons for the Democratic holdout during the shutdown—will continue. Enhanced tax credits will expire at the end of the year, so legislators will turn their attention to negotiations related to the future of these tax credits.
2026 Election Tracker
| IA-01 | |
| Name | Party |
| U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks | 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 U.S. 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 |
| U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra | R |
| 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 |
| 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 |
