Iowa voters have spoken. Republicans now claim a majority of seats across the state, ending the 2022 midterm election cycle.

This cycle was forecasted to be Republican-heavy, with general expectation of midterms electing the opposite of the president in office. With Democrat President Joe Biden in office, Republicans assert dominance in Iowa. 

Incumbent Republican Governor Kim Reynolds won, receiving 58.1% of the vote, while Democrat candidate Deidre DeJear received 39.6%. Libertarian candidate Rick Stewart received 2.4%. 

Incumbent Republican Senator Chuck Grassley won, receiving 56.1% of the vote. Democrat candidate Mike Franken received 43.9%. 

This win will mark his eighth consecutive term as senator for the state. Grassley has been an elected official in the state for 63 years, since 1959.

Incumbent Republican Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks won, receiving 53.3% of the vote. Democrat candidate Christina Bohannan received 46.7%. 

The second and fourth congressional districts also went to the Republicans. Former Democrat Representative Cindy Axne lost her two-term seat to Republican Zach Nunn who won with 50.3% of the vote. Axne finished with 49.7%.

With the Axne loss, all of the United States Representatives from the state are Republicans.

Incumbent Republican State Senator Julian Garrett won, receiving 60% of the vote. Democrat candidate Lisa Fleishman received 40%. 

The Iowa Senate now has a Republican Majority.

Incumbent Republican State Representative Brooke Boden won, receiving 61% of the vote. Democrat candidate Joe Kerner received 39%. 

The Iowa House now has a Republican Majority.

Other state-wide races, like attorney general, agriculture secretary, secretary of state and state treasurer, also went red. 

The State Auditor race has not been called, but incumbent Democratic Rob Sand leads with 50.1% of the vote. Republican candidate Todd Halbur has 49.9%.

The Iowa Supreme Court had two judges up for retainment, meaning they would continue to serve the state as Supreme Court Justices. They will both remain on the bench. 

A majority of Iowans, 65%, voted ‘YES’ to Iowa’s constitutional amendment to the right to bear arms. This measure will add the right to own and bear firearms to the state constitution and require “strict scrutiny” for any alleged violations of that right. 

In the past, Iowa had been considered a swing state. In 2012, Former President Barack Obama won Iowa with 51.99% of the vote, but in the 2016 election went to Donald Trump with 51.15% of the vote. 

Since the 2016 presidential election, Iowa has increasingly gone red. This midterm election cycle marks one of the strongest Republican-leaning election cycles.

With Iowa Republicans now in power, policies will change. Student loan forgiveness, reproductive rights, marijuana legalization and more will be revisited with the Republican majority.