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Angel Ramirez claims victory in Iowa House District 78 special election
Nonprofit leader Ramirez bested Republican challenger Bernie Hayes to replace former Rep. Sami Scheetz
Apr. 29, 2025 9:42 pm, Updated: Apr. 30, 2025 2:53 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS — Democrat Angel Ramirez will represent southeast Cedar Rapids in the Statehouse after winning Tuesday’s House District 78 special election, unofficial results show.
Ramirez, a nonprofit leader and Cedar Rapids community organizer, received 2,742 votes — or 79 percent — to replace former Democratic lawmaker Sami Scheetz, who resigned April 1 with a year and a half left in his term.
She bested Republican challenger Bernie Hayes, a retired systems engineer who received 721 votes, and she will now serve the remainder of Scheetz’s unexpired term as the first Latina woman recorded to have been elected to the Iowa House.
Despite maintaining Scheetz’s seat, Democrats remain in the minority in the Iowa House. The chamber is made up of 33 Democrats and 67 Republicans.
Approximately 17.4 percent of voters registered in District 78 participated in Tuesday’s special election.
Ramirez moved to Cedar Rapids to attend Coe College as a first-generation college student and received degrees in political science and social and criminal justice. She has since co-founded Our Future, a nonprofit fellowship program for emerging leaders in the Cedar Rapids area.
She also serves as board president for equity-advocacy group Advocates for Social Justice and works as a peace facilitator at the Kids First Law Center to bring restorative justice practices to the Cedar Rapids Community School District.
She previously told The Gazette she was seeking elected office to reduce costs for working Iowans, increase state support for Iowa’s public schools and bolster protections for marginalized communities.
“Our campaign has really been about joy, hope and progress,” Ramirez told The Gazette shortly after her victory announcement. “I choose to lead with hope, and I will continue to do so (at the statehouse) because I believe in our community and I know that we can build a better future together.”
Throughout her campaign, Ramirez received endorsements from several local leaders including Scheetz, state Sen. Liz Bennett and former state Sen. Rob Hogg. She also saw support from area labor organizations including the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, Hawkeye Area Labor Council and the Iowa State Education Association.
Scheetz resigned April 1 to assume a role on the Linn County Board of Supervisors. Potential replacements had until April 15 to file for candidacy, and early in-person absentee voting began April 21.
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart opined in a written statement that Ramirez's fit with the district, character, hard work and the support of Democratic organizers in Linn County made the landslide win possible.
“I’d like to thank Ramirez for her readiness to represent her constituents and to stand up for the rights and prosperity of all Iowans,” Hart wrote. “The scale of our victory tonight shows that as long as Democrats run candidates who understand and fight for their communities, we can win elections across the state.”
Comments: grace.nieland@thegazette.com
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