Zimmer flips seat in Senate
Democrat Mike Zimmer is the newest Iowa senator, flipping the Senate District 35 seat in a special election last week.
Zimmer won with 52% of the vote to Republican Katie Whittington's 48%, according to unofficial results published by the Iowa Secretary of State. The special election was called to replace Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer in the Iowa Senate, who resigned after accepting the lieutenant governor position in December.
'I am honored that the residents of Senate District 35 have put their faith in me to represent them in the Iowa Senate. Our campaign's values of hard work and fairness resonated with a bipartisan coalition of voters in Clinton, Jackson, and Scott counties,' Zimmer said in a press release following his victory.
'I'm looking forward to working on behalf of the people of Eastern Iowa to help working Iowans get ahead, support our public schools and teachers, and help lower the cost of living.'
The district includes all of Clinton County and parts of Scott and Jackson counties.
Jackson County chose Zimmer by a vote of 555 to 446, according to unofficial results.
Clinton County chose Zimmer 3,411-3,169, according to unofficial results from the Clinton County Auditor's office. There were 18 write-ins.
Scott County voters selected Whittington 858-846.
Zimmer, 64 and president of the Central DeWitt School Board, will serve out the remainder of Cournoyer's term through 2026. Due to state rules, he no longer will be able to serve on the school board.
Zimmer has more than 40 years of experience in public education and served in various capacities from teacher to coach to administrator. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. He served as assistant principal of Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, and principal of North Scott High School in Eldridge.
What this win means
Cournoyer, a Republican, won her 2022 re-election with 61% of the vote, and President Donald Trump won the district in the 2024 general election by a 21-point margin against Vice President Kamala Harris. Republicans will maintain their trifecta control at the Iowa Capitol — with 34-16 supermajority in the Iowa Senate after Zimmer is sworn into office and 67-33 supermajority in the House — but Democrats said the results show discontent with GOP leadership.
Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner said in a statement that Zimmer's special election victory 'is a clear rejection of the Republican agenda led by Kim Reynolds and the Senate Republicans that have failed Iowans.'
'Mike ran on a platform to help working Iowans get ahead, support public schools and teachers, and help lower the cost of living,' Weiner said. 'This win shows that when Democrats fight for Iowa families, we can win anywhere. This is a victory for Iowans.'
Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the statehouse campaign arm of the Democratic Party, on Jan. 28 said the victory in a district where Trump won by a large margin shows Democrats have a strong path forward in the aftermath of major GOP wins in the 2024 election.
'This earthquake victory in Iowa puts Republicans across the country on notice,' Williams said in a statement. '… Tonight's win marks the first flip of the cycle and builds on key majority-making wins in Virginia earlier this month. The DLCC is starting the new cycle strong just a month into 2025 – from battlegrounds to Republican territory. We have dozens more special elections on the horizon – we're only just getting started.'
Campaign fundraising
In the fight for the District 35 Senate seat, Zimmer's campaign raised about five times that of Whittington's campaign, according to campaign finance reports which were required to be filed with the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board by Jan. 23.
Whittington's campaign raised $5,795, with $1,000 coming from the Clinton County Republican Central Committee. The largest contribution — $2,000 — came from the Iowa Liberty Network, which according to its website is a 'Christian, grassroots, nonpartisan organization.'
Zimmer's campaign raised $37,837.85 as of Jan. 23. Of that total, the Jackson County Democratic Central Committee contributed $2,000. The Scott County Democratic Central Committee donated $1,000. The Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 25 gave $5,000.
The reports are located on the board's website at iowa.gov/ethics.
© 2025 the St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Mo.). Visit www.newspressnow.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
© 2025 the St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Mo.). Visit www.newspressnow.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
© 2025 the St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Mo.). Visit www.newspressnow.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Oregon road workers urge passage of transportation bill, others warn of financial burden
Aerial view of the Interstate 5 bridge connecting Portland and Vancouver. (Oregon Department of Transportation/Flickr) Rural and urban transportation workers pleaded with the Oregon Legislature's Joint Transportation Committee to pass a massive funding package that Democrats say would solve the Oregon Department of Transportation's budget shortfalls and stabilize the state's deteriorating road infrastructure. In a three-hour hearing on House Bill 2025 Thursday evening — the last of four hearings for the much anticipated transportation package published Monday — workers shared stories about responding to floods, wildfires, fatal accidents and suicide attempts without adequate staff and resources. 'We are operating on a skeleton crew at best,' Bend-based transportation worker Justin Iverson told the committee. 'We have been dwindling down over the last 10 years, to the point that we can barely maintain the roads now.' During the wintertime, when ice and snow pile up on roads, Iverson said just four to five people cover a 300-mile area in Central Oregon. 'We are the first, and oftentimes the only, people to respond during the wintertime,' he told lawmakers. 'The public relies on us to be there. We need to be there for them, so we ask that you fund this so that we can continue serving our communities.' A vote on House Bill 2025 has not yet been scheduled. House Bill 2025 would increase ODOT revenue by creating dozens of new fees and taxes, including a 15-cent raise to the state gas tax over the next three years and almost tripling registration fees for passenger vehicles. State officials estimate they need to raise $1.8 billion each year to pay for transportation services across the state. About $205 million of that is needed just to keep road maintenance funding at its current level. The transportation department said it will run out of money needed for state highway maintenance after mid-2025. Without an increase in funding for this work, ODOT would have to lay off up to 1,000 workers, the Oregonian reported. Revenue from the bill would also fund infrastructure projects such as the Interstate 5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project in Portland's Albina neighborhood, upgrading the Abernethy Bridge and widening Interstate 205 in the Portland metro, improving the Newberg-Dundee bypass in Yamhill County, and upgrading a Salem bridge off Center Street and State Highway 22 to make it strong enough to endure earthquakes. Oregonians from around the state, as well as city and county officials — including the mayors of Bend, Portland, Beaverton and rural Oakridge and Toledo — also spoke in favor of the bill. However, Republican lawmakers and some Oregonians who testified against the bill said low- and middle-income drivers would bear the brunt of new taxes and transportation fee spikes. Some drove hundreds of miles to give testimony Thursday, or tuned in virtually, to oppose the bill. They cited existing financial strain from inflation, high housing costs and rising utility bills. Amy Reiner, a resident from Clackamas County, spoke in opposition to the bill, saying she believes the new taxes and fees would financially strain Oregon families — particularly low- and middle-income ones. 'People are already leaving Oregon,' she said. 'We shouldn't be creating policies that make Oregon harder to live in. We should be focused on making it affordable and inclusive.' Greg Remensperger, the executive vice president of the Oregon Auto Dealers Association, opposed the transfer tax portion of the bill, or a tax on used and new sold cars. He said it would burden car purchasers already dealing with a car loan at a time when those loan delinquencies are at a record high. 'Let's be honest, a 2% transfer tax really needs to be termed what it is,' he told the committee. 'It's a sales tax. Oregon residents have fought down sales taxes on multiple occasions, and they will object to this too.' Several Republicans, including state House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, and state Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, have criticized the bill, saying it was crafted by Democrats behind closed doors and rushed, without having a financial analysis prepared showing how much revenue it would raise. Bill sponsor state Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale, said during an informational hearing on Monday that he thinks the bill would generate at least $1 billion in revenue. 'The public is being asked to testify without knowing what the bill will actually cost them,' Drazan said on Thursday. 'That is unacceptable.' Republicans on Monday introduced an alternative transportation package, House Bill 3982, which avoids taxes and instead redirects funding from climate initiatives, public transit and passenger rail services, bicycle programs and payroll tax allocations. The bill does not yet have a scheduled hearing in either chamber of the Legislature. A gas tax increase from $0.40 to $0.55 per gallon, starting with a 10-cent increase in January 2026 and additional 5-cent increase in 2028. Diesel would also be taxed at the same rate as regular gasoline. Vehicle registration fees would rise from $43 to $113 for passenger vehicles; $44 to $110 for mopeds and motorcycles; $63 to $129 for low-speed vehicles; and $63 to $129 for medium-speed electric vehicles. Title fees would increase from $77 to $182 for new titles, and from $27 to $44 for salvage titles. A new transfer tax on cars 10,000 pounds or less, and sold for more than $10,000, would be taxed at 2% if new, or 1% if used. Increased payroll tax for transit from 0.1% to 0.18% starting in 2026, then increased to 0.25% in 2028 and 0.3% in 2030. Increased privilege tax and commensurate use tax from 0.5% to 1% percent of the sales price of a vehicle. A privilege tax is a tax for the privilege of selling vehicles in Oregon, and the use tax applies to vehicles purchased from dealers outside of Oregon that are required to be registered and titled in Oregon. A new $340 yearly fee for electric vehicle drivers to participate in the Road Usage Charge Program. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Here's who has filed to run for Spartanburg County Sheriff: List
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) — The filing period for the special election to fill the seat of Spartanburg County Sheriff opened Friday. Five candidates have filed paperwork with South Carolina Election Commission, all of whom have filed as Republicans in the August 5 primary. Sheriff salaries in the Upstate: Where does your county rank? Candidates running in the special election had to pay a filing fee of about $3,000, which is prorated because of the partial term. Candidates are listed below in alphabetical order. In his letter announcing his bid for the seat of sheriff, Clark said he wants to help citizens, residents and visitors throughout Spartanburg County. Clark started his career with the Spartanburg Police Department in March 2002, serving as a senior patrol officer and a field patrol officer. In October 2005, Clark began working with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, working as a property crimes investigator, a software systems administrator and records supervisor. 'I have the experience and knowledge to lead the sheriff's office and continue its mission to provide services to citizens that meet or exceed professional law enforcement standards, ensuring equal enforcement, and protection of the law without prejudice,' Clark said. Clevenger, who has served as coroner since 2009, announced his candidacy for Spartanburg County Sheriff on Monday. 'I have dedicated my adult life to serving the people of Spartanburg County with transparency, compassion, and professionalism.' said Clevenger in a news release. 'The brave men and women of the Spartanburg Sheriff's Office deserve a leader who protects their integrity and shields them from politics so they can focus on protecting our community.' Clevenger said his campaign for sheriff will focus on restoring trust in law enforcement, increasing transparency, supporting deputies and ensuring public safety is 'free from political agendas.' Nick Duncan, a Laurens County native, worked as a paramedic with Spartanburg County EMS before he joined the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office in 2014. He announced a run for sheriff in March 2024, but lost the primary election in June. Duncan previously said that, if elected, he would focus on drug issues impacting the county as well as working on community relations and transparency in the office. Duncan encouraged voters to decide what they want from their elected leaders. 'Just look at everybody, figure out what you want from your elected officials, and what beliefs most align with yours and make a good, educated decision.' Duncan said. Bill Rhyne announced his bid for the seat of sheriff on June 3. A northern Spartanburg County native, Rhyne joined the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating from Chapman High School. He worked for the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office as a resident deputy and then for the South Carolina Highway Patrol in the Upstate as a public information officer and community relations officer. Rhyne retired as lieutenant and executive commander. After retirement, he became the director of training for American Services. He also was able to return to SCHP as a community outreach coordinator. 'This campaign isn't about politics. It's about people,' Rhyne said. 'It's about making sure our communities are safe, heard, and respected. It's about being present, well-reasoned in our actions, and building a sheriff's office that truly serves every corner of Spartanburg County.' Richard 'Ric' Stephens served in the Army National Guard from 1982-1992, according to his website. Later, Stephens worked for the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office from 1996-2002 in various positions. He retired from work in law enforcement in 2015. 'In doing this, I learned the complexity of the sheriff's office and how extremely important it is for you as an employee to understand and use all the county resources allocated,' Stephens said. In an interview with 7NEWS, Stephens explained that his bid for sheriff is personal, after losing a family member was killed by a drug dealer in Spartanburg County. 'The sheriff's office has a dedicated professional workforce, with my leadership we will focus on issues that affect the taxpayers the most (traffic, drugs, and crime) I will give immediate results,' he added. The primary will be held on August 5 while the special election is set to be held on November 4, which is the date of the 2025 general election. Early voting for the primary will be held from July 21 through August 1 while early voting for the special election will run from October 20 through October 31. A primary runoff would be held on August 19, if necessary, with early voting from August 13 to August 15. Full schedule for special election: June 13 – Candidate filing opens June 21 – Candidate filing closes July 21 – Early primary voting begins August 1 – Early primary voting ends August 5 – Primary election August 13 – Primary runoff early voting begins (if necessary) August 15 – Primary runoff early voting ends (if necessary) August 19 – Primary runoff election October 20 – Special election early voting begins October 31 – Special election early voting ends November 4 – Special Election Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Done deal: Florida legislators reach a budget agreement
House budget chief Rep. Lawrence McClure, left, and Senate budget chief Sen. Ed Hooper, right, answer budget questions on June 13, 2025. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) Amid looming federal cuts, legislators finalized the state spending plan for the next fiscal year Friday, announcing they expect to take a final vote on the budget Monday evening. As of Friday evening, the budget had not been printed, but Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, told reporters the spending plan is about $500 million less than what Gov. Ron DeSantis' proposed $115.6 billion budget for state fiscal year 2025-26. Friday marked the 102nd day of this year's legislative session, which was extended because of the legislative leaders' failure to pass a budget. Disagreements over the size of the budget and what approach to take on tax cuts created a rift that pushed lawmakers to come back to Tallahassee to pass a budget before June 30 to avoid a government shutdown. House Budget Committee Chair Lawrence McClure, R-Dover, said the debate took longer than it should have, but put the blame in part on special sessions on immigration called prior to the start of the 2025 legislative session. 'That took a lot of bandwidth from both chambers, membership and staff. So I'm not excusing that we're delayed in getting this budget done, but there were contributing factors that largely were out of the control of either chamber,' he said. 'I'm glad we did the work on immigration. It was important work. But I'm thankful we were as thorough as we were,' on the budget. McClure also stressed the leaner budget. He emphasized the $1.5 billion set for reserves over the next two fiscal years, which the GOP-led Legislature is touting as an answer for a potential recession. 'For starters, it's a smaller supplemental list than many years prior,' McClure said, adding, 'we've put a bunch of recurring money in reserve stabilizing the long-term future.' Lawmakers last dipped into the Budget Stabilization Fund, which currently has $4.4 billion, during the Great Recession. Still, President Donald Trump's plan to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency after this year's hurricane season worried Hooper, he said. The Senate agreed to provide $23 million for the Florida State Guard — DeSantis had requested $62 million — keeping in mind the civilian volunteer force's role in responding to emergencies. 'We heard yesterday that, from our friends in Washington, after this hurricane season, there may be no more FEMA,' Hooper said. 'We may be on our own someday, and that would not be the time to start thinking about what should we plan ahead. … Just the state guard is an important part of making sure our state has the resources because the National Guard; it could be called anywhere.' The Florida State Guard has mainly been part of DeSantis' messaging against illegal immigration, particularly in sending troops to Texas' southern border. Hooper also expressed concerns about the multi-billion-dollar cut to Medicaid that Congress could enact. About 44% of federal funds coming into the state are for Medicaid. 'We hope they never change the formula of the Medicaid reimbursement,' he said. 'We're in trouble if they do.' Legislators earmarked nearly $560 million for local projects important to members. The supplemental funding was included on so-called sprinkle lists the chambers released Friday. But those hundreds of millions went to more than local projects. The powerful nursing home industry was able to secure significant Medicaid rate increases for long-term care facilities on both the House and Senate sprinkle lists. In the aggregate, the chambers agreed to a $176 million hike, of which about $18 million is recurring. That's on top of a near $110 million rate increase the chambers had already agreed to put in the budget. The increase in funds is expected to be coupled with new requirements on nursing homes that will be addressed in separate legislation, known as the conforming bill. It will be one of a spate of issues contained in SB 2514 the health care conforming bill. The House targeted $23.3 million in state and federal funds to a Medicaid managed care program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The program is a priority of House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, who pushed this year to take the small pilot program available in two Medicaid regions statewide. Republican Senate President Ben Albritton, of Wachula, had to give up his dreams for a $200 million 'Rural Renaissance' to invest in the state's underdeveloped and economically challenged communities. But he managed to keep most of the money for tackling food insecurity. Before budget negotiations fell apart earlier in the year, the Senate's budget included two grant programs through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: $12 million to expand the infrastructure of food banks in rural communities, and another $38 million to help food banks buy products from Florida farmers. In this final deal, Albritton gets to keep $10 million for food bank infrastructure and $28 million for farmers to feed communities. Food bank networks across the state counted on this investment following the loss of millions in federal funds they used to buy fresh produce. The Senate included in its sprinkle list $300,000 for an 'Intellectual Freedom Survey,' half for the State University System and half for the Florida College System. The survey is meant to 'compile and analyze the annual intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity survey.' The House included $7.5 million for Florida Polytechnic University to increase its enrollment to 3,000 students. Its fall 2024 enrollment was more than 1,770. The chambers agreed to fund $42.4 million to Florida State University for operational funding, the most of any institution. Florida International University would receive $35 million under the proposed budget for operation enhancement. Between the two chambers' sprinkle lists, $10 million has been allocated to security for Jewish day schools. In its Friday offer, the Senate rejected a House proposal to require private universities to meet performance metrics to accept scholarships for in-state students. The House included in its sprinkle list $4 million for Florida State University, half for the newly created Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases and half for Sunshine Genetics Pilot Program. In the sprinkle list, the Senate was more amenable to DeSantis' requests. Aside from including funds for the State Guard, the upper chamber also included $25 million for the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, an initiative to encourage public infrastructure projects. In total, the budget includes $50 million out of the $75 million in DeSantis' proposed budget. Cancer funding has been a priority for the DeSantis administration which pushed this year for a number of changes to how the state funds cancer research. While the DeSantis administration fell short on its efforts to redirect $127 million in cancer funds it did succeed on other fronts. The Legislature agreed to appropriate $50 million for a research incubator for cancer and another $60 million increase in innovation funds awarded by the First Lady Casey DeSantis as part of her cancer initiative. The budget is complete but the tax reduction plan is not. Legislators are also expected to hammer out a tax cut package that will include a reduction in business rent taxes as well as other changes designed to assist Florida families. While the chambers have agreed to spending levels and the fine print that goes along with how the money should be spent they still haven't finalized the conforming bills. The Legislature is using budget conforming bills to pass substantive policy. Unlike the budget, which expires in a year, conforming bills change statutes. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
