Iowa Senate Democrats elect new leader, ousting Wahls

DES MOINES — With somewhat unusual timing, Iowa Senate Democrats elected a new leader Wednesday night.

Republicans and Democrats in the Iowa Legislature typically elect their respective leaders shortly after elections every two years.

But on Wednesday night, Senate Democrats met and unanimously elected Dubuque Sen. Pam Jochum as their new leader, in the process ousting previous leader Sen. Zach Wahls, of Coralville.

Senate Democrats on Wednesday night and Thursday morning did not address the reason for the change.

Jochum and Wahls did not immediately return messages seeking comment Thursday morning.

The Iowa Capital Dispatch, Iowa Field Report, and Iowa Starting Line reported Wednesday that many Senate Democrats were upset that Wahls, as caucus leader, recently fired two longtime staffers, Eric Bakker and Debbie Kattenhorn.

A person with knowledge of Senate Democrats’ deliberations, who requested not to be identified, said the change in leadership stemmed from a dispute over Wahls’ dismissal of Bakker and Kattenhorn. Their last day in the office was Friday, June 2.

Sen. Molly Donahue, a Cedar Rapids Democrat, however, said the vote “was most definitely not about one single issue.” Donahue would not elaborate.

“This was an internal caucus decision. There were a lot of different reasons for all of it, and it is a great decision for our caucus,” she said of the unanimous decision to elect Jochum, which included Wahls.

“This was just something that needed to happen at this time, and it will be good for us in the long run,” Donahue said. “Everybody is still committed to making sure that we gain more seats and that we raise that money. And everyone will be putting in the work that needs to be put in to do so, including Sen. Wahls. He’s just going to be in a different position.”

Bakker, who served as a senior legislative aide to the Iowa Senate Democratic Leader since the early 2000s, did not return a message seeking comment Thursday morning. Kattenhorn had worked in the Iowa Senate Democratic Leaders since the mid-2000s, according to a state employee salary book.

Jason Noble, communications director for Iowa Senate Democrats, declined to provide a copy of Wahls’ email to the caucus last week announcing the terminations and that he was restructuring the leader’s office. He said it is an internal message to senators and staff concerning personnel matters that cannot be released.

Wahls, 31, was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2018, and in 2020 was elected leader of the minority-party Senate Democrats, who are outnumbered in the chamber by Republican super majority, 34-16.

Wahls first gained prominence in 2011 when he spoke on the Iowa House floor about his two mothers as legislators debated a proposal to ban same-sex marriage in the state.

Jochum, 68, has served in the Iowa Senate since 2009, and prior to that had served in the Iowa House since 1993.

In 2012, Jochum was chosen by fellow senators to serve as president of the Iowa Senate, becoming the second woman in Iowa to hold the position when Democrats last controlled the chamber until 2017. Most recently, she has served as one of four assistant minority leaders.

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“I am honored to receive the unanimous support of my fellow Democratic Senators during this critical moment for our caucus and the state of Iowa,” Jochum said in the statement, in which she thanked Wahls for his “vision and leadership.” “Senate Democrats look forward to offering a better way forward for the people of Iowa — in 2024 and beyond. We’re going to defend our incumbent senators, grow our caucus, and win a majority that delivers for middle-class Iowans.”

Jochum played a leading role in expanding affordable health insurance coverage to working Iowans and has been a staunch advocate for Iowans with disabilities to protect their health services following the privatization of Iowa’s Medicaid system. Jochum often discussed her late daughter's severe intellectual disability to highlight frustrations with Iowa’s Medicaid program.

“Pam Jochum is a highly-qualified, highly-dedicated Democrat that will lead our Senate caucus well,” Sen. Claire Celsi, a Democrat from West Des Moines, said.

With Jochum’s election, Iowa Democrats would boast all-female leadership in the Iowa Legislature, assuming House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, is reelected to the position.

Women also currently serve in the No. 2 leadership positions of the Democratic caucuses in the House and Senate, and the Iowa Democratic Party is led by chair Rita Hart, a former state senator from Clinton County.

That is believed to be a first for a major political party in Iowa.

“We all are committed to making gains, it doesn’t matter male or female,” Donahue said. “It may be a pivotal moment to have all-women in the lead, but it’s just the way it happened at this point. Pam was the one that stepped up. … I think it’s great to have all-women leadership.”

Donahue cited Jochum’s long tenure in the Iowa Legislature working in leadership roles in both the minority and majority.

“She’s been an integral part of the success of Democrats, and she is extremely passionate about getting us back to that point,” she said.

The next session of the Iowa General Assembly convenes Jan. 8, 2024.

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