In a major defeat of the political establishment, Catelin Drey has won the Iowa state senate special election. She went on to easily beat Republican challenger Christopher Prosch. Announced last fall, that special election was to fill the unexpired seat of the late State Senator Rocky De Witt. Drey—a 37-year-old marketing executive—won with 55% of the vote to Prosch’s 44%. With this victory, we have reached an important tipping point. It breaks the Republican supermajority in the Iowa state senate for the first time since the 2022 elections.
Drey’s win is a testament to an incredible turnaround. That serves as a reminder of the more than 20-point shift this represents from Donald Trump’s performance in the district last year. Although her campaign was very well funded, raising $165,385 and spending $75,066 as of August 21. By comparison, Prosch raised $20,020 and spent $18,425 in the same time frame.
With Drey’s victory, the new chamber makeup is 33 Republicans and 17 Democrats. This amendment protects Democratic interests in preventing hyper-particularist GOP Governor Kim Reynolds’ nominees to state agencies, boards, and commissions from getting confirmed. Drey said she was truly excited by the result, “We sent a message that voters can feel good about. What people care about at the moment is what they’re concerned about—people are frustrated with the status quo. As Probes points out, today Iowa’s economy is the worst in the nation. We’re last in maternal healthcare providers per capita, and folks are ready to see that change.
Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, noted that Drey’s victory should be a wake-up call to Republicans. She remarked, “As Trump and Republicans wreck the economy and erode democracy with power-grabbing schemes, Democrats’ special election wins should send a flashing warning to the GOP: voters are rejecting the failing MAGA agenda and leaving Republican candidates in the dust.”
Drey’s victory caught the eyes of national Democratic leaders. Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), noted that Iowans are starting to see Republicans for what they are. He stated, “Iowans are seeing Republicans for who they are: self-serving liars who will throw their constituents under the bus to rubber-stamp Donald Trump’s disastrous agenda – and they’re ready for change.” This profound sense of betrayal is indicative of the deep well of discontent among voters, and their disgust with the Republican party standing with Trump.
The Iowa Republican Party quickly recognized the difference that outside national Democratic infusions of cash made on the close election. Jeff Kaufmann, chair of the Iowa Republican Party, noted that national Democrats are enthusiastic about their chances to win. They mobilized an army of 30,000 volunteers and inundated the campaign with cash. He said that national Democrats were counting on him to save their bacon with a win. They mobilized 30,000 volunteers and a tsunami of national money to win a state senate special election by only a few hundred votes.
Drey’s campaign strategy was laser focused on making a real connection with voters on the key issues that truly impact their everyday lives. It was a reminder of how critical authenticity and transparency are to political discourse. “I think it speaks to the level of authenticity and transparency that’s needed to really win in this environment. Attracting new voters Voters and constituents at all levels are eager to engage with their candidates. They are looking for confidence that these candidates will put their needs first.
Matt McDermott, a Democratic strategist, agreed that Drey’s victory could mean big things for local races. He recommended that it be used as proof that Republicans are afraid of electoral boogeymen. He continued, “If you’ve ever wondered why Republicans are so intent on rigging maps, here’s what they’re most afraid of.”