Iowa Republican lawmakers have reelected Sen. Jack Whitver as Senate majority leader and Rep. Pat Grassley as House speaker, they announced Tuesday.

Republicans expanded their majorities in last week’s election and are set to enter the 2025 legislative session with a 67-33 majority in the Iowa House and a 35-15 advantage in the Iowa Senate, if results hold. A few races could see recounts.

A 67-member Republican supermajority will be the largest majority the party has held in the Iowa House since 1970. The 35-seat Senate supermajority is also the largest since 1970.

More: Republicans expand majorities in Iowa Legislature to historic levels after strong election

Whitver, of Grimes, has led Senate Republicans as majority leader since 2018.

Grassley, of New Hartford, has led House Republicans as speaker since 2019.

Senate Republicans keep Jack Whitver as majority leader, Amy Sinclair as president

In a statement, Whitver called his reelection as majority leader “an honor.”

“I am proud of our accomplishments like implementing a flat income tax, eliminating the tax on retirement income, fighting off excessive spending and providing law enforcement the legal protection and equipment they need to safely do their jobs,” he said. “I look forward to working on important issues facing our state like lowering the cost of living and easing the property tax burden.”

Whitver announced in May that he had been diagnosed with a brain tumor and was receiving radiation therapy. A statement from Senate Republicans on Tuesday said Whitver began drug therapy following his radiation treatment. He “is responding well to the treatments and continues to see forward progress,” the statement says.

“Multiple recent scans this fall have shown a steady and continued reduction in the size of the tumor, many of his symptoms have improved and optimism abounds about his recovery,” the statement says.

Whitver was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2011 and previously served as Republican whip, and Senate president.

Also on Tuesday, Senate Republicans reelected Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, as president of the Iowa Senate. Sinclair has held the post since November 2022. She was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2013 and has served as majority whip and chair of the Education Committee.

“It is humbling to be chosen to serve another term as president of the Iowa Senate,” Sinclair said in a statement. “I look forward to working together with our even larger supermajority to continue implementing pro-growth, pro-taxpayer, pro-family policies to make Iowa the best state in the country.”

Senate Republicans also elected. Sen. Ken Rozenboom, R-Pella, to serve as president pro tempore of the Iowa Senate, replacing Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, who lost to Democrat Matt Blake in last week’s election.

Rozenboom was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2012. For the past two years he has chaired the Senate Education Committee, leading passage of high-profile laws including Gov. Kim Reynolds’ private school education savings accounts program and a law banning books depicting sex acts from schools and banning teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through sixth grade.

And Senate Republicans chose Sen. Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, to serve as majority whip, replacing former Sen. Waylon Brown, R-Osage, who resigned in July to take a private sector job. Klimesh was first elected to the Senate in 2020 and has chaired the Transportation Committee for the past two years.

Sens. Carrie Koelker, R-Dyersville, Adrian Dickey, R-Packwood, Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia; and Tim Kraayenbrink, R-Fort Dodge, were elected assistant majority leaders.

House Republicans keep Pat Grassley as speaker, Matt Windschitl as majority leader

In a statement, Grassley touted the fact that House Republicans protected every incumbent running for reelection and flipped three Democratic-held seats to increase their majority to 67 seats.

“Since Republicans became the majority party in the Iowa House in 2011, we introduced sound budgeting practices, reduced burdensome red tape, innovated new ways to grow a strong workforce and kept our common sense on social issues,” Grassley said. “In response to our agenda, Iowa voters have continued to grow our majority.”

Grassley was first elected to the Iowa House in 2006 and previously chaired the Appropriations, Agriculture and Economic Growth committees.

House Republicans also reelected Rep. Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, as majority leader, a post he has held since 2019.

“The message we received from Iowans this election cycle is loud and clear,” Windschitl said in a statement. “Iowans support our agenda to protect their freedoms, lower their taxes, eliminate government waste and fight for the return to common sense. Iowans know they can trust this caucus to deliver on the promises we make. And we are ready to get back to work for our constituents.”

Rep. John Wills, R-Spirit Lake, was reelected as speaker pro tempore of the Iowa House, a position he’s held since 2019.

And House Republicans reelected Rep. Henry Stone, R-Forest City, as majority whip.

On Saturday, House Democrats reelected Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, as minority leader. Konfrst has led House Democrats since 2021.

Senate Democrats will need to choose a new minority leader after Sen. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, retires at the end of the year. But they have not yet held leadership elections as they await the possibility of recounts in a few close races.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.