Good morning from Iowa Capital Dispatch.
“I’ll say it again, Iowa: You sure do love an underdog.” — Democrat Josh Turek in his victory speech after winning a come-from-behind race for U.S. Senate.
Iowa Rep. Josh Turek celebrated victory at an Election Night party at the at the Iowa Historical Building and Museum Nov. 3, 2026 after preliminary results showed he won Iowa’s U.S. Senate race. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Josh Turek defeated Republican Ashley Hinson in the U.S. Senate race Tuesday, the Associated Press has projected, becoming the first Democrat since former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin was in office.
Unofficial results showed Turek with nearly 50% of the vote and Hinson with 47% with 97% of Iowa’s precincts reporting.
Iowa Auditor Rob Sand delivered his victory speech after preliminary results showed his victory in the Iowa gubernatorial race at the Iowa Historical Building and Museum Nov. 3, 2026. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Democrat Rob Sand will be Iowa’s next governor, the Associated Press projected Tuesday, ending more than a decade of a Republican trifecta of control at the Iowa Capitol with his defeat of Republican Zach Lahn.
The race has received significant attention as it represented a chance for Democrats to break up a decade of GOP control over the Iowa state government.
Democrat Lindsay James has been elected by Iowa voters to Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District seat, the Associated Press has projected.
Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District will have a Democratic representative as state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott won the district over Republican incumbent Zach Nunn, according to preliminary results from the Associated Press.
Democrat Christina Bohannan has won the seat for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District after Iowans cast their election ballots Tuesday, the Associated Press has projected, unseating incumbent Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks on her third run for the office.
Republican Chris McGowan has won the race to represent Iowa’s 4th Congressional District against Democrat Dave Dawson, the Associated Press has projected.
Democratic challenger Nate Willems declared victory late Tuesday over GOP incumbent Brenna Bird in the race for Iowa attorney general.
Republican Mike Naig was expected to keep his job as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture as unofficial results from the Associated Press early Wednesday showed him leading Democratic challenger Chris Jones.
Democrat Taylor Wettach was leading Republican Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer by a slim margin early Wednesday in the contest to replace Rob Sand as the state auditor.
Iowa’s state treasurer race was a dead heat between Republican incumbent Roby Smith and Democratic challenger John Norwood early Wednesday, with most of the vote counted.
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate was leading his Democratic challenger, Ryan Peterman, as results continued to trickle in early Wednesday.
Iowa lawmakers are likely to need a supermajority vote to increase personal and corporate income taxes after approval for a proposed constitutional amendment took the lead Tuesday night.
Voters across the country administered a sharp reprimand to President Donald Trump and Republicans who hold majorities in Congress, with Democrats gaining comfortable majorities in the Senate and the House.
In a stunning upset, Democrats ousted Republicans and flipped control of the U.S. Senate Tuesday night, effectively establishing a barricade for President Donald Trump’s agenda for the last two years of his term.
Democrats will regain control of the U.S. House early next year, after voters throughout the country rejected the policies that Republicans and President Donald Trump implemented during the last two years.
After the Trump administration pressured election officials, after concerns that armed federal agents would deploy to the polls, after fears U.S. Department of Justice election monitors would intimidate voters — ballots were cast by the millions Tuesday, mostly without incident.
As broad affordability concerns define elections across the country, voters in several states on Tuesday will had a say on their future utility bills.
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