XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.politics   
   From: super70s@super70s.invalid   
      
   Democrat Renee Hardman wins Iowa state Senate seat, blocking GOP from   
   reclaiming a supermajority   
   By Hannah Schoenbaum and Hannah Fingerhut   
   Associated Press   
   Mon, December 29, 2025 at 11:04 PM CST   
      
   DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Democrat Renee Hardman was elected to the Iowa   
   state Senate on Tuesday in a year-end special election, denying   
   Republicans from reclaiming two-thirds control of the chamber.   
      
   Hardman bested Republican Lucas Loftin by an overwhelming margin to win   
   a seat representing parts of the Des Moines suburbs. The seat became   
   vacant after the Oct. 6 death of state Sen. Claire Celsi, a Democrat.   
      
   Hardman, the CEO of nonprofit Lutheran Services of Iowa and a member of   
   the West Des Moines City Council, becomes the first Black woman elected   
   to the 50-member Senate.   
      
   "I want to recognize that while my name was the one on the ballot, this   
   race was never just about me," Hardman told a room of supporters in   
   West Des Moines after declaring victory.   
      
   With 99% of votes counted, Hardman led by about 43 percentage points.   
      
   Her win is the latest in a string of special election victories for   
   Iowa Democrats, who flipped two Senate seats this year to break up a   
   supermajority that had allowed Republicans to easily confirm GOP Gov.   
   Kim Reynolds' appointments to state agencies and commissions.   
      
   Democrat Mike Zimmer first flipped a seat in January, winning a   
   district that had strongly favored Republican President Donald Trump in   
   the 2024 election. In August, Democrat Catelin Drey handily defeated   
   her GOP opponent in the Republican stronghold of northwestern Iowa,   
   giving Democrats 17 seats to Republicans' 33. Celsi's death brought   
   that down to 16.   
      
   Republicans would have regained two-thirds control with a Loftin   
   victory Tuesday. Without a supermajority, the party will need to get   
   support from at least one Democrat to approve Reynolds' nominees. The   
   GOP still has significant majorities in both legislative chambers.   
      
   Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, called   
   Hardman's victory "a major check on Republican power."   
      
   "With the last special election of the year now decided, one thing is   
   clear: 2025 was the year of Democratic victories and overperformance,   
   and Democrats are on track for big midterm elections," Martin said.   
      
   In November the party dominated the first major Election Day since   
   Trump returned to the White House, notably winning governor's races in   
   Virginia and New Jersey. Democrats held onto a Kentucky state Senate   
   seat this month in a special election. And while Republican Matt Van   
   Epps won a Tennessee special election for a U.S. House seat, the   
   relatively slim margin of victory gave Democrats hope for next year's   
   midterms. The party must net three House seats in 2026 to reclaim the   
   majority and impede Trump's agenda.   
      
   Loftin, a tree trimmer turned data manager, congratulated Hardman and   
   told The Associated Press he's praying for her as she embarks on this   
   important chapter.   
      
   Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann applauded Loftin and his supporters for   
   putting up a fight in what he described as "a very tough district."   
   Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 3,300 voters, or 37% to 30%.   
      
   "Although we fell short this time, the Republican Party of Iowa remains   
   laser-focused on expanding our majorities in the Iowa Legislature and   
   keeping Iowa ruby-red," Kaufmann said.   
      
   The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee pledged Tuesday to help   
   defend the party's gains in Iowa and prevent the return of a GOP   
   supermajority next year.   
      
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