DES MOINES, Iowa — Democrat Renee Hardman was elected to the Iowa state Senate on Tuesday in a holiday-week special election, denying Republicans' bid to reclaim two-thirds control of the chamber.
Hardman bested Republican Lucas Loftin by an overwhelming margin to win the seat representing parts of Des Moines’ suburbs. It became vacant after the Oct. 6 death of state Sen. Claire Celsi, a Democrat.
Hardman, 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 Senate.
Democratic voters outnumber Republicans in the district by about 3,300 voters, or 37% to 30%.
A GOP win would have given the party a supermajority once again, just months after a Democrat flipped a Republican seat in an August special election, giving Democrats 17 seats to Republicans’ 33. Celsi’s death made that 16.
Senate Republicans left Des Moines last spring with a supermajority, which allows the party to easily confirm Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ appointments to state agencies and commissions.
Without a supermajority, Republicans will have to get support from at least one Democrat to approve Reynolds’ nominees.
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Schoenbaum reported from Salt Lake City.