Who's who in the Iowa Senate for 2026

The Iowa Senate reconvened on January 12 with a different look: a new majority leader (Mike Klimesh) and a changed balance of power: 33 Republicans and seventeen Democrats, down from a 34-16 GOP majority for most of the 2025 session.

Seven senators (four Republicans, three Democrats) were elected to the chamber for the first time in 2024, and three more won their seats in special elections during 2025.

Fourteen senators are women (eight Democrats and six Republicans)—that’s one more woman than last year, since Democrat Catelin Drey won the race to succeed the late Rocky De Witt in Senate district 1, and Renee Hardman won the race to succeed the late Claire Celsi in Senate district 16. The high point for women’s representation in the Iowa Senate was in 2023 and 2024, when the chamber had 35 men and fifteen women.

Hardman is the first Black woman to serve in the Iowa Senate and only the third African American ever elected to the chamber. Democrat Izaah Knox is also Black. The other 48 senators are white. No Latino has ever served in the chamber, and Iowa’s only Asian-American senator was Swati Dandekar, who resigned in 2011.

In 2023, Democrat Janice Weiner became the first Jewish person to serve in the Iowa Senate since Ralph Rosenberg left the legislature after 1994. She became the first Jewish person to lead an Iowa legislative caucus when her peers elected her minority leader in November 2024.

Democrat Liz Bennett is the only out LGBTQ member of the Iowa Senate.

I enclose below details on the majority and minority leadership teams, along with all chairs, vice chairs, and members of Iowa Senate committees. Where relevant, I’ve mentioned changes since last year’s legislative session. Although there hasn’t been as much turnover as the Iowa House saw during the interim, Klimesh did make quite a few changes in the committees compared to last year. He took all committee assignments away from one Republican (Doug Campbell) and took certain positions away from Kevin Alons, Mark Lofgren, Sandy Salmon, and Dave Sires.

Some non-political trivia: the 50 Iowa senators include four men named Mike (three Republicans and a Democrat), two Toms (a Democrat and a Republican), a Dave and a David (both Republicans), and two men each named Jeff, Mark, and Dan (all Republicans).

Senate Republicans by seniority

First elected in a 2011 special election: Jack Whitver

First elected in 2012: Dennis Guth, Amy Sinclair, Ken Rozenboom, Dan Zumbach

First elected in a 2013 special election: Julian Garrett (following three years service in the Iowa House)

First elected in 2014: Tom Shipley, Jason Schultz (six years in Iowa House), Tim Kraayenbrink

First elected in a 2014 special election: Mark Costello

First elected in 2016: Dan Dawson, Mark Lofgren

First elected in a 2018 special election: Annette Sweeney

First elected in the 2018 general election: Carrie Koelker

First elected in 2020: Dawn Driscoll, Mike Klimesh, Jeff Reichman, Jeff Taylor, Jesse Green

First elected in 2021 special elections: Adrian Dickey, Dave Rowley

First elected in 2022: Lynn Evans, Kevin Alons, Cherielynn Westrich (two years in Iowa House), Mike Bousselot (one year in Iowa House), Sandy Salmon (ten years in Iowa House), Kerry Gruenhagen, Charlie McClintock (two years in Iowa House), Scott Webster

First elected in 2024: Doug Campbell, Mike Pike, Dave Sires, Kara Warme

Senate Democrats by seniority

First elected in 2002: Bill Dotzler (six years in Iowa House), Herman Quirmbach

First elected in 2012: Janet Petersen (twelve years in Iowa House)

First elected in 2014: Tony Bisignano (six years in Iowa House and four in Iowa Senate during 1980s and 1990s)

First elected in 2018: Zach Wahls

First elected in 2020: Sarah Trone Garriott

First elected in 2022: Molly Donahue (four years in Iowa House), Liz Bennett (eight years in Iowa House), Izaah Knox, Janice Weiner, Cindy Winckler (22 years in Iowa House)

First elected in 2024: Matt Blake, Art Staed (16 years in Iowa House), Tom Townsend

First elected in a 2025 special election: Mike Zimmer, Catelin Drey, Renee Hardman

Iowa Senate Republican leadership team

Mike Klimesh is majority leader. He was first elected in 2020 and represents Senate district 32, covering Allamakee, Clayton, Winneshiek, and Howard County, and small areas in Fayette and Dubuque counties. Jack Whitver held this position from March 2018 to September 2025, when he stepped aside to focus on his cancer treatment and recovery.

Amy Sinclair remains the Senate president. Following the 2016 election, she was the only woman in the 29-member Republican caucus, but she has five female colleagues now. She currently represents Senate district 12, covering Adair, Madison, Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, and Wayne counties, along with small areas in Dallas, Union, and Appanoose counties.

Ken Rozenboom remains president pro tempore. He was first elected in 2012 and was re-elected in 2022 to Senate district 19, covering Jasper County and parts of Marion and Mahaska counties.

Dan Zumbach is the new majority whip. He was first elected in 2012 and now represents Senate district 34, covering Delaware, Buchanan, and Fayette counties, and parts of Black Hawk and Dubuque counties. Last year Klimesh served in this role.

The four assistant majority leaders are the same as last year:

Adrian Dickey was first elected in 2018 and represents Senate district 35, covering Clinton County and parts of Scott and Jackson counties.
Lynn Evans was first elected in 2022 and represents Senate district 3, covering Osceola, O’Brien, and Buena Vista counties, and parts of Clay and Cherokee counties.
Carrie Koelker was first elected in 2018 and represents Senate district 33, covering Jones County, much of Jackson County and most of Dubuque County outside the city of Dubuque.
Tim Kraayenbrink was first elected in 2014 and represents Senate district 4, covering Webster, Calhoun, Sac, and Pocahontas counties.

Iowa Senate Democratic leadership team

Janice Weiner became minority leader in November 2024. She was first elected in 2022 from Senate district 45, covering the Iowa City area of Johnson County.

Bill Dotzler remains minority whip. He was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2002 and represents Senate district 31, covering most of Waterloo in Black Hawk County.

The four assistant minority leaders are:

Matt Blake was elected for the first time in 2024 and represents Senate district 22, covering most of Urbandale, Johnston, and a few Des Moines precincts.
Molly Donahue was elected to the Senate for the first time in 2022 after serving four years in the Iowa House. She represents Senate district 37, covering Marion and part of Cedar Rapids in Linn County.
Izaah Knox was first elected in 2022 and represents Senate district 17, covering part of Des Moines.
Cindy Winckler served in the Iowa House for 20 years and was first elected to the Senate in 2022. She represents Senate district 49, covering part of Davenport and Buffalo in Scott County.

Last year’s minority leaders were Donahue, Knox, Winckler, and Claire Celsi, who passed away in October 2025.

Iowa Senate standing committees

Agriculture

Chair: Dawn Driscoll was first elected in 2020 and represents Senate district 46, covering Iowa and Washington counties and much of rural Johnson County.
Vice Chair: Ken Rozenboom (see above)
Ranking member: Mike Zimmer was first elected in January 2025 and represents Senate district 35, covering Clinton County, parts of northern Scott County, and a small area in Jackson County. Last year Tony Bisignano was ranking member.

Other members: Dave Sires (R), Tom Shipley (R), Kerry Gruenhagen (R), Jesse Green (R), Dennis Guth (R), Mark Costello (R), Annette Sweeney (R), Charlie McClintock (R), Dan Zumbach (R), Tony Bisignano (D), Liz Bennett (D), Izaah Knox (D), Herman Quirmbach (D)

Appropriations

Chair: Tim Kraayenbrink (see above)
Vice Chair: Dan Zumbach (see above)
Ranking member: Janet Petersen was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and represents Senate district 18, covering parts of Des Moines.

Other members: Carrie Koelker (R), Julian Garrett (R), Dennis Guth (R), Mike Bousselot (R), Dave Rowley (R), Jack Whitver (R), Mark Costello (R), Dan Dawson (R), Jeff Reichman (R), Jesse Green (R), Tom Shipley (R), Kara Warme (R), Kerry Gruenhagen (R), Art Staed (D), Molly Donahue (D), Bill Dotzler (D), Matt Blake (D), Izaah Knox (D), Cindy Winckler (D)

Appropriations subcommittees

Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee

Chair: Dennis Guth was first elected in 2012 and represents Senate district 28, covering Humboldt, Hancock, Wright, Franklin, and Hamilton counties, plus a small area in Story County.
Vice Chair: Dave Rowley won a special election in 2021 and was re-elected in 2022 in Senate district 5, covering Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, Winnebago, and Palo Alto counties, plus a small area in Clay County.
Ranking member: Matt Blake was elected for the first time in 2024 in Senate district 22, covering some suburban areas in Polk County.

Other members: Mike Pike (R), Tony Bisignano (D)

Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee

Chair: Tom Shipley was first elected in 2014 and now represents Senate district 9, covering Cass, Montgomery, Adams, Page, Taylor, and Ringgold counties, and part of Union County.
Vice Chair: Annette Sweeney was first elected to the Senate in a 2018 special election and represents Senate district 27, covering Hardin, Grundy, and Poweshiek counties, most of Tama County, and part of Black Hawk County.
Ranking member: Art Staed was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2024 after a long tenure in the House. He represents Senate district 40, covering parts of Cedar Rapids and some suburbs in Linn County.

Other members: Dan Zumbach (R), Mike Zimmer (D)

Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee

Chair: Kerry Gruenhagen was first elected in 2022 and represents Senate district 41, covering part of Scott County, all of Cedar County, and a small area in Muscatine County. Last year Mark Lofgren was chair.
Vice Chair: Adrian Dickey was first elected in a 2021 special election and was re-elected in 2022 in Senate district 44, covering Keokuk, Jefferson, and Van Buren counties and parts of Henry and Mahaska counties.
Ranking member: Catelin Drey won the August 2025 special election in Senate district 1, covering most of Sioux City and a few other parts of Woodbury County. Last year Bill Dotzler was ranking member.

Other members: Dave Sires (R), Bill Dotzler (D)

Education Appropriations Subcommittee

Chair: Jesse Green was first elected in 2020 and represents Senate district 24, covering Boone, Green, and Guthrie counties, and areas in Story and Dallas counties.
Vice Chair: Lynn Evans (see above)
Ranking member: Cindy Winckler (see above)

Other members: Sandy Salmon (R), Herman Quirmbach (D)

Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee

Chair: Mark Costello was first elected in a 2014 special election and represents Senate district 8, covering Mills, Harrison, and Fremont counties, and most of Pottawattamie County outside Council Bluffs.
Vice Chair: Kara Warme was first elected in 2024 and represents Senate district 26, covering Marshall County and most of rural Story County. Last year Mike Klimesh was vice chair.
Ranking member: Molly Donahue was elected to the Senate for the first time in 2022 after serving four years in the Iowa House. She represents Senate district 37, covering Marion and part of Cedar Rapids in Linn County.

Other members: Charlie McClintock (R), Renee Hardman (D)

Justice Systems Appropriations Subcommittee

Chair: Julian Garrett was first elected in 2013 and represents Senate district 13, covering Madison County and most of Warren County.
Vice Chair: Cherielynn Westrich served a term in the Iowa House before being elected in 2022 to represent Senate district 13, covering Wapello, Monroe, and Davis counties, and most of Appanoose County.
Ranking member: Izaah Knox (see above)

Other members: Jeff Reichman (R), Tom Townsend (D)

Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals Appropriations Subcommittee

Chair: Carrie Koelker (see above)
Vice Chair: Mike Bousselot was elected to the Senate for the first time in 2022 after serving a year in the Iowa House. He represents Senate district 21, covering most of Ankeny in Polk County.
Ranking member: Janet Petersen (see above)

Other members: Scott Webster (R), Liz Bennett (D)

Commerce

Chair: Mike Bousselot (see above)
Vice Chair: Carrie Koelker (see above)
Ranking member: Izaah Knox (see above)

Other members: Dan Zumbach (R), Adrian Dickey (R), Kerry Gruenhagen (R), Jack Whitver (R), Kara Warme (R), Dave Rowley (R), Jason Schultz (R), Scott Webster (R), Annette Sweeney (R), Dawn Driscoll (R), Jeff Reichman (R), Catelin Drey (D), Tony Bisignano (D), Matt Blake (D), Janet Petersen (D), Janice Weiner (D)

Education

Chair: Lynn Evans (see above)
Vice Chair: Jeff Taylor was first elected in 2020 and represents Senate district 2, covering Lyon and Sioux counties and part of Plymouth County.
Ranking member: Herman Quirmbach (see above)

Other members: Tim Kraayenbrink (R), Julian Garrett (R), Kerry Gruenhagen (R), Mike Pike (R), Sandy Salmon (R), Jesse Green (R), Ken Rozenboom (R), Amy Sinclair (R), Tom Shipley (R), Cindy Winckler (D), Mike Zimmer (D), Molly Donahue (D), Sarah Trone Garriott (D)

Ethics

This committee has three members from each party in accordance with Iowa law.

Chair: Dave Rowley won a special election in 2021 and was re-elected in 2022 in Senate district 5, covering Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, Winnebago, and Palo Alto counties, plus a small area in Clay County.
Vice Chair: Ken Rozenboom (see above) Last year Mark Costello was vice chair.
Ranking member: Cindy Winckler (see above)

Other members: Cherielynn Westrich (R), Janet Petersen (D), Art Staed (D)

Government Oversight

Chair: Kerry Gruenhagen (see above)
Vice Chair: Lynn Evans (see above)
Ranking member: Tony Bisignano (see above) Last year Claire Celsi was ranking member.

Other members: Tim Kraayenbrink (R), Renee Hardman (D)

Health and Human Services

Chair: Kara Warme (see above) Last year Mike Klimesh was the chair.
Vice Chair: Mark Costello (see above)
Ranking member: Sarah Trone Garriott was first elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2022 and 2024 in Senate district 14, covering part of Dallas County.

Other members: Mike Pike (R), Julian Garrett (R), Dave Rowley (R), Kevin Alons (R), Dennis Guth (R), Sandy Salmon (R), Annette Sweeney (R), Mark Lofgren (R), Scott Webster (R), Molly Donahue (D), Renee Hardman (D), Janet Petersen (D), Catelin Drey (D), Mike Zimmer (D)

Judiciary

Chair: Jason Schultz was first elected in 2014 and represents Senate district 6, covering Ida, Crawford, Carroll, Audubon, and Shelby counties, along with a small area in Pottawattamie County. He is also the only state lawmaker who has called me a traitor.
Vice Chair: Julian Garrett (see above)
Ranking member: Matt Blake (see above)

Other members: Dan Dawson (R), Tom Shipley (R), Mike Bousselot (R), Lynn Evans (R), Mark Lofgren (R), Dave Rowley (R), Jeff Taylor (R), Jeff Reichman (R), Jesse Green (R), Scott Webster (R), Adrian Dickey (R), Cherielynn Westrich (R), Tony Bisignano (D), Izaah Knox (D), Janet Petersen (D), Herman Quirmbach (D), Janice Weiner (D)

Local Government

Chair: Scott Webster was first elected in 2022 and represents Senate district 47, covering Bettendorf and some other areas in Scott County.
Vice Chair: Mike Bousselot (see above) Last year Mike Klimesh was the vice chair.
Ranking member: Renee Hardman won the December 2025 special election in Senate district 16, covering much of West Des Moines, Clive, and Windsor Heights in Polk County. Last year Janice Weiner was ranking member.

Other members: Dawn Driscoll (R), Dave Sires (R), Dennis Guth (R), Kevin Alons (R), Mark Lofgren (R), Cherielynn Westrich (R), Jeff Taylor (R), Herman Quirmbach (D), Izaah Knox (D), Janice Weiner (D)

Natural Resources and Environment

Chair: Annette Sweeney (see above)
Vice Chair: Tom Shipley (see above)
Ranking member: Art Staed (see above)

Other members: Mike Pike (R), Cherielynn Westrich (R), Mark Costello (R), Jason Schultz (R), Ken Rozenboom (R), Dan Zumbach (R), Lynn Evans (R), Dave Sires (R), Renee Hardman (D), Liz Bennett (D), Bill Dotzler (D), Mike Zimmer (D)

Rules and Administration

Chair: Mike Klimesh (see above) Last year Jack Whitver was chair.
Vice Chair: Amy Sinclair (see above)
Ranking member: Janice Weiner (see above)

Other members: Ken Rozenboom (R), Jack Whitver (R), Tim Kraayenbrink (R), Carrie Koelker (R), Adrian Dickey (R), Tony Bisignano (D), Molly Donahue (D)

State Government

Chair: Ken Rozenboom (see above)
Vice Chair: Jeff Reichman was first elected in 2020 and represents Senate district 50, covering Lee County and part of Des Moines County, including the city of Burlington.
Ranking member: Cindy Winckler (see above)

Other members: Dan Dawson (R), Mike Bousselot (R), Dawn Driscoll (R), Carrie Koelker (R), Jason Schultz (R), Jesse Green (R), Dennis Guth (R), Sandy Salmon (R), Scott Webster (R), Cherielynn Westrich (R), Catelin Drey (D), Tony Bisignano (D), Matt Blake (D), Art Staed (D), Tom Townsend (D)

Technology

Chair: Charlie McClintock served a term in the Iowa House and was first elected in 2022 in Senate district 42, covering most of Benton County and most of rural Linn County.
Vice Chair: Tim Kraayenbrink (see above) Last year Kevin Alons was the vice chair.
Ranking member: Liz Bennett served four terms in the Iowa House before being elected in 2022 to Senate district 39, covering part of Cedar Rapids in Linn County.

Other members: Annette Sweeney (R), Kevin Alons (R), Dave Sires (R), Jeff Taylor (R), Kara Warme (R), Art Staed (D), Izaah Knox (D), Catelin Drey (D)

Transportation

Chair: Dan Zumbach (see above)
Vice Chair: Scott Webster (see above)
Ranking member: Tom Townsend was first elected in 2024 from Senate district 36, covering the city of Dubuque.

Other members: Kara Warme (R), Mike Pike (R), Adrian Dickey (R), Ken Rozenboom (R), Tom Shipley (R), Mark Costello (R), Julian Garrett (R), Mark Lofgren (R), Tim Kraayenbrink (R), Catelin Drey (D), Liz Bennett (D), Renee Hardman (D), Mike Zimmer (D), Cindy Winckler (D)

Veterans Affairs

Chair: Jeff Reichman (see above)
Vice Chair: Sandy Salmon served ten years in the Iowa House before being elected in 2022 to represent Senate district 29, covering Butler, Bremer, and Chickasaw counties, plus most of Floyd County.
Ranking member: Bill Dotzler (see above)

Other members: Dan Dawson (R), Kevin Alons (R), Mike Pike (R), Kara Warme (R), Mark Costello (R), Charlie McClintock (R), Liz Bennett (D), Matt Blake (D), Tom Townsend (D)

Ways and Means

Chair: Dan Dawson was first elected in 2016 and represents Senate district 10, covering most of Council Bluffs and Carter Lake in Pottawattamie County.
Vice Chair: Dave Rowley (see above)
Ranking member: Tony Bisignano (see above)

Other members: Jesse Green (R), Mike Bousselot (R), Carrie Koelker (R), Kerry Gruenhagen (R), Jason Schultz (R), Adrian Dickey (R), Dawn Driscoll (R), Annette Sweeney (R), Jeff Reichman (R), Jeff Taylor (R), Bill Dotzler (D), Cindy Winckler (D), Janet Petersen (D), Tom Townsend (D), Herman Quirmbach (D)

Workforce (formerly Labor and Business Relations)

Chair: Adrian Dickey (see above)
Vice Chair: Jason Schultz (see above)
Ranking member: Molly Donahue (see above)

Other members: Dawn Driscoll (R), Mark Lofgren (R), Carrie Koelker (R), Dave Sires (R), Jeff Taylor (R), Mike Pike (R), Bill Dotzler (D), Tom Townsend (D), Zach Wahls (D)

Administrative Rules Review Committee

Five Iowa House and five Iowa Senate members serve on this committee. The Senate’s five representatives on this committee are Dave Rowley (R, chair), Dan Dawson (R), Mike Bousselot (R), Cindy Winckler (D, ranking member), Janet Petersen (D)

International Relations

Co-chair: Annette Sweeney (see above)

Other members: Kevin Alons (R), Jesse Green (R), Janice Weiner (D), Bill Dotzler (D)