Republicans expand dominance of Iowa’s elected positions

Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. candidate Zach Nunn speaks to supporters Tuesday night time throughout a Republican Occasion of Iowa election night time rally in Des Moines. Nunn defeated Iowa’s solely Democratic member of Congress, U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne of the third Congressional District. (AP Picture/Charlie Neibergall)

Iowa Republican Lawyer Common candidate Brenna Hen speaks Tuesday night time throughout a Republican Occasion of Iowa election night time rally in Des Moines. She defeated Democrat Tom Miller, the longest-serving state legal professional normal in U.S. historical past. (AP Picture/Charlie Neibergall)

DES MOINES — Republicans holding an outsized portion of Iowa’s high elected positions is nothing new: Even earlier than final week’s elections, Republicans pulled all of the levers within the state lawmaking course of and occupied most of Iowa’s statewide places of work and seats in Congress.

However in these elections, Iowa voters expanded Republicans’ authority to ranges not seen within the state for the reason that Nineteen Fifties — when U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley was first elected to public workplace.

What does that imply for, on the very least, the following two years in Iowa?

The résumé of Iowa Republicans popping out of the elections is as spectacular as it’s uncommon:

The purple wave — an anticipated flood of Republican victories — didn’t occur nationally, but it surely swept throughout Iowa.

“The message of the Republican ticket resonated with Iowans — we stand for freedom, placing dad and mom first, unleashing the ability of American vitality, and preventing again towards Joe Biden and the federal authorities’s overreach,” Republican Occasion of Iowa chair Jeff Kaufmann mentioned in an announcement after the election outcomes had been clear. “With this freedom-loving crew of conservatives from the native, state, and federal ranges, the perfect is but to return.”

That expanded authority may influence how Iowa’s legal guidelines are written, how Iowans are appointed to state regulatory boards and extra.

State lawmaking

Iowa Republicans have had full management of the state lawmaking course of since 2017, and that can proceed for no less than the following two years and sure no less than 4.

Pending recounts and closing affirmation of leads to a few shut elections, Republicans are poised to enter subsequent yr’s legislative session with a 64-36 majority within the Iowa Home and 34-16 majority within the Iowa Senate. If these numbers maintain, they might be the biggest Senate majority for both occasion since 1972, and largest within the Home since 1970.

Now, with their expanded majorities within the Iowa Legislature, Republicans may have much more authority to go conservative laws. Even when there are, for instance, a dozen Republicans who’re against any particular laws, Republicans will nonetheless have sufficient votes to go the invoice regardless of the defections.

Kaufmann mentioned statehouse Republicans really feel emboldened by increasing their majorities on this election after passing a number of items of conservative laws lately, together with state tax cuts, limiting early voting in elections, banning transgender women from enjoying women sports activities at school and extra.

“I actually suppose the Republicans are decoding this … as a mandate. I feel what you’re going to see is extra of the identical, presumably extra aggressive (conservative lawmaking),” Kaufmann mentioned in an interview. “I feel persons are decoding this, rank-and-file Republicans, state legislators, because the individuals of Iowa obtained to weigh in.”

Jeff Kaufmann, chair of the Iowa Republican Occasion, speaks in October 2019 at The Gazette’s “Iowa Concepts” convention in Cedar Rapids. (The Gazette)

One piece of laws that would stand to profit from Republicans’ expanded majorities is Reynolds’ so-called college alternative invoice. Her proposal to dedicate $55 million in taxpayer funding for public colleges for personal college tuition help grants has did not go the Republican-controlled Iowa Home in two consecutive years. Whether or not the addition of 4 Republicans to the Home will get that invoice to Reynolds’ desk in 2023 stays to be seen.

As a sensible matter, Senate Republicans’ expanded majority means they will now approve Reynolds’ appointments to state regulatory boards and commissions without having no less than some assist from Democrats. Governor’s appointments require the assist of two-thirds of the Iowa Senate, that means Republicans beforehand wanted no less than some “sure” votes from Democrats. With 34, Republicans have sufficient senators to approve these appointments on their very own.

“Iowans spoke clearly (within the elections). They need commonsense options to the issues we’re going through. They don’t want extra of the reckless insurance policies from Washington, D.C. liberals,” Republican Senate Majority Chief Jack Whitver mentioned in an announcement after the election. “As soon as once more, they’ve validated our agenda and our message to give attention to development and prosperity for Iowa households. We’ll proceed to be centered on tax reduction, supporting legislation enforcement, preventing reckless spending, and empowering dad and mom.”

Democrats mentioned they’re ready to do what they will to oppose a few of these very plans. Nonetheless, they are going to have little legislative recourse due to their shrinking minorities.

“We’re going to maintain preventing. We’re going to struggle as a result of Iowans are with us on the problems that matter,” Jennifer Konfrst, the Home Democrats’ chief from Windsor Heights, mentioned on election night time, citing public opinion on abortion entry, authorized marijuana and schooling funding. “We’re preventing tomorrow.”

Statewide workplace

Iowa Republicans additionally expanded their authority over state authorities by almost sweeping all six statewide elected places of work.

Along with Reynolds’ return as governor, for the following 4 years Republicans will maintain the state places of work of Secretary of State, Lawyer Common, Secretary of Agriculture and Treasurer.

Solely the State Auditor’s workplace stays in Democrats’ palms, and that shut election consequence is headed for a recount.

Of their near-sweep, Republicans defeated the longest-serving state legal professional normal (Democrat Tom Miller) and longest-serving state treasurer (Democrat Mike Fitzgerald) in U.S. historical past.

Which means for the primary time in a long time a Republican will, from the Lawyer Common’s Workplace, oversee authorized disputes involving the state and decide which authorized actions to take or be part of with different states towards the federal authorities.

And for the primary time in a long time a Republican will, from the treasurer’s workplace, handle the state’s investments and oversee packages designed to assist Iowans who’re saving for school.

“I feel I feel you’re going to see Iowa enjoying a bigger function on the nationwide stage, by way of attempting to roll again among the overreach of the Biden administration. I feel you’re going to listen to about these lawsuits much more,” Kaufmann mentioned, referring to the Democratic president. “And I feel you’re going to see extra cooperation between the governor’s workplace and the Lawyer Common’s Workplace.”

Reynolds, on the marketing campaign path, often mentioned she wished “my very own” legal professional normal. As a result of they’re from totally different political events, Reynolds and Miller typically had been on the other aspect of multistate lawsuits towards the federal authorities, and generally in authorized disputes towards the state — essentially the most distinguished instance of which being Miller’s resolution to not lead the state’s protection of a Republican-passed legislation that will ban abortions as soon as a fetus’ heartbeat could be detected. Miller declined to defend the case due to his private views on abortion.

Congress

Iowa Republicans’ incumbent members of Congress received re-election this week, and Republicans additionally flipped Central and Southwest Iowa’s third District seat when state legislator and Iowa Nationwide Guard officer Zach Nunn defeated two-term Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne.

With these victories, Republicans now maintain all six of the state’s seats in Congress: two within the U.S. Senate and 4 within the U.S. Home. It’s the primary time Iowa’s federal delegation has been all Republican since 1956, when the state had eight U.S. Home seats.

Nunn’s victory over Axne figures within the nationwide image, the place it seems Republicans might win sufficient races to regain a majority — a slim one — within the U.S. Home. Not sufficient races throughout the nation had been known as as of Friday to push both into the bulk, however Republicans appeared to have sufficient pending victories.

“From Day 1, we’ve been a grassroots crew of Iowans from everywhere in the district able to deliver our Iowa values to D.C.,” Nunn mentioned in an announcement after his victory. “Subsequent yr in Congress, high priorities will likely be to repair our financial system, finish the report excessive inflation and large authorities spending, and get our nation again on observe.”

For Iowa Democrats who are actually shut out of direct enter on congressional transactions for the following two years, Mike Franken, the occasion’s candidate who was overwhelmed by Grassley, supplied a message in his concession speech.

“For anybody who seems like their voice wasn’t heard, your story isn’t over. Not by an extended shot,” Franken mentioned. “Relaxation, regroup, hold constructing and stay to boost your voice to win one other day.”

Feedback: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com