John, we have important news. 

Gov. Reynolds just set the special election in Senate District 16 for December 30th.

The circumstances triggering this special election are unfortunate - we are devastated by the passing of Sen. Claire Celsi, who was a passionate advocate for her community and beloved colleague. We do know she would want nothing more than for us to push onward for the causes she championed. That is exactly what we intend to do.

This isn’t just another race. The Republicans will stop at nothing to regain their supermajority - that includes scheduling the election right in the middle of the holiday season. They are hoping that Iowans will stay home so they can sneak a win just before the end of the year. We cannot let that happen and we will not let that happen.

For nearly a decade, Republicans have pushed an agenda that continues to hurt hard working Iowans by gutting our public schools, robbing Iowans of their access to healthcare - especially in rural areas - and running the state’s budget deep into the red. With this special election for SD16, we can elect a Democrat who will continue to stand up and speak out against those harmful Republican policies - and articulate a vision for a fair deal for Iowans, no matter where in Iowa they live.

Republicans are on notice that Senate Democrats are on the march. After flipping two seats red-to-blue earlier this year, the Iowa Senate Democrats have proven that we are carrying the torch of change in this state. Every seat matters, every vote matters, and we cannot and will not take anything for granted. We will listen to Iowans and do the work. 

We will continue to keep you informed as things develop throughout this special election season - we’re lucky to have you on our team.

Onward,

Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner