Aime Wichtendahl becomes Iowa’s first transgender lawmaker

Hiawatha City Council member Aime Wichtendahl will become Iowa’s first transgender state lawmaker after voters in Iowa House District 80 — covering northern portions of Cedar Rapids up through Hiawatha and Robins — elected the Democrat to fill an open seat, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election.

Wichtendahl in 2015 made history when she became the first transgender elected official in Iowa. Tuesday, with all Linn County precincts reporting, she won about 52 to 48 percent over Republican John Thompson for the Statehouse seat.

Her win keeps the seat blue, with Democratic Rep. Art Staed vacating the spot to run for an open Iowa Senate seat representing District 40 — which he won, unofficial results showed.

"I am honored to make history tonight,” Wichtendahl said in a statement. ”It shows that Iowans and Americans at large are tired of the culture war politics and anti-trans legislation and will vote for leaders who prioritize their well being and work for them to get ahead

With all the Eastern Iowa votes counted by Wednesday, Iowa Senate and Iowa House seats on the ballot were leaning toward the party of the incumbent if there was one running.

Iowa House District 91

In Iowa House District 91, newcomer Republican Judd Lawler hung on to the open seat for his party by topping Democrat Jay Gorsh by about 55 to 45 percent, unofficial results show.

The district — with its 18,372 active voters in parts of Tiffin, Swisher, Oxford and all of Iowa County — was up for grabs after incumbent Republican Brad Sherman opted not to run again after the sudden death of this daughter.

Gorsh, director of the University of Iowa’s School of the Wild, touted conservation, affordability and education among his top priorities.

Lawler, who was endorsed by Sherman, has named among his priorities protecting individual rights, asserting that “our rights are constantly under attack.”

Iowa Senate District 32

In Iowa Senate District 32 — encompassing a large swath of Northern Iowa between Dubuque and Waterloo, with 36,833 active voters — Republican incumbent Michael T. Klimesh won election by about 65 to 35 percent over Democratic challenger Brian Bruening, according to unofficial results.

Klimesh — who served as Spillville mayor from 2008 to 2020 — was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2020.

Iowa Senate District 34

Longtime Republican lawmaker Dan Zumbach, of Ryan, glided to an easy win over his Democratic challenger Joe Hegland, of Manchester, with a 67 to 33 percent blowout, unofficial results show.

Zumbach, 64, first was elected to the Iowa Senate in 2012 — earning re-election in 2016 and again in 2020. In the most recent 2023-24 session, he served on a handful of committees — including the agriculture, transportation and appropriations committees.

A “farmer to my core,” Zumbach has said in running for re-election that “the more rural common sense we bring to Des Moines, the stronger our communities will be and the brighter the future for our children.”

District 34 sits north of Marion, encompassing Independence and Manchester up to West Union and west to Waterloo, and includes 34,308 active voters.

Iowa Senate District 40

With incumbent Democrat Todd Taylor running for Linn County Auditor, longtime Democratic Rep. Art Staed kept the seat for his party — topping Republican Kris Gulick with 53 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results.

The district represents Robins, Hiawatha and portions of north and southwest Cedar Rapids.

Staed first was elected to the Iowa House in 2012 and continued serving there until the Iowa Senate opportunity opened this term. Gulick ran for the Senate seat in 2022 — losing to Taylor by a 10 point margin.

Prior to the Tuesday’s election, Staed told The Gazette that if elected he would continue Taylor’s work on “education, labor, worker rights, justice and the well-being of Iowa families.”

“I want to help rebuild a stronger Iowa, with broader prosperity,” he said.

Iowa Senate District 46

Incumbent Republican Dawn Driscoll — a sixth-generation farmer, past president of the Iowa County Farm Bureau and state senator since 2021 — won re-election, topping her Democratic opponent Ed Chabal by a over 20 points, according to unofficial results.

The district includes Washington, Kalona and parts of Johnson County — and, as of Oct. 1, had 35,409 total active voters, including 14,564 Republicans.

On her website, Driscoll stressed among her legislative priorities as tax cuts, more agricultural opportunities and parental rights in education.

Iowa House District 66

For the district sitting west of Marion and north of Mount Vernon — including Anamosa and Monticello to the Illinois border — incumbent Republican Steven Bradley earned re-election Tuesday with a 55 to 45 percent victory over Democrat Andy McKean, unofficial results with all precincts reporting show.

Bradley first was elected to the Iowa House in 2020 and faced off again this year against the same candidate he ousted four years ago — McKean, who previously had been a Republican before switching parties in a rebuke of then-President Donald Trump.

On recent Republican legislation addressing issues including education and abortion, Bradley has expressed support — adding he would support a bill codifying the notion that life begins at conception.

Iowa House District 83

Incumbent Republican Cindy Golding maintained her seat representing the district that horseshoes Cedar Rapids and Marion, encompassing Alburnett, Central City, Center Point and Lisbon, unofficial final results show.

Golding won with about 59 percent of the vote over Democratic challenger Kent McNally. She has said her top legislative issues are mental health, tax reform, and energy.

Iowa House District 84

Facing off against Libertarian newcomer Ashley Meredith, of Vinton, three-term Republican state Rep. Thomas Gerhold, of Atkins, had no problem winning re-election in a landslide Tuesday — topping his challenger by nearly 6,000 votes, amassing 73 percent approval, unofficial results show.

His district covering parts of Cedar Rapids north to Shellsburg and Vinton has 18,807 total active voters. Without a Democratic challenger this cycle, Gerhold said his priorities are those of his constituents — who have shared their concerns over increased property taxes, the economy and landowners’ rights.

Iowa House District 86

Easily maintaining his Democratic-strong Iowa House District 86 — encompassing parts of Johnson County, including Coralville — Rep. Dave Jacoby topped Republican Stephen Knoner by a 76-to-24-percent margin, unofficial results show.

First elected to the Iowa House in 2003, Jacoby has served more than two decades in the Legislature. He’s the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee and serves on the Commerce, Natural Resources and Government Oversight committees.

He said his top priorities include addressing water quality and cancer rates; tax reform; and restoring personal freedoms.

Iowa House District 92

Republican Heather Hora — an incumbent representing Iowa House District 92, which includes Kalona, Riverside, Wellman and Washington — headed to victory Tuesday.

She held a 61 to 39 percent margin over Democratic newcomer Anna Banowsky, unofficial results show.

The district includes 16,504 active voters, including 7,098 active Republicans and 4,568 active Democrats.

Iowa House District 95

Incumbent Republican Taylor Collins easily handled his re-election bid Tuesday with a 72 percent hammering of his Democratic opponent, Jeff Poulter, to represent Iowa House District 95 — which covers New London, Mediapolis, Wapello and Columbus Junction, unofficial final results show.

Collins first was elected to the House two years ago in 2022 and has supported Iowa’s abortion law that restricts the procedure and legislation restricting diversity, equity and inclusion training and spending across the public universities.

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