Democrats flip Iowa Senate seat, break GOP's supermajority
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (FOX 9) - Iowa Democrat Catelin Drey won a race for the state Senate, flipping the district and breaking the Republican's supermajority.
Catelin Drey flips Republican seat in Iowa Senate
Local perspective:
Drey defeated Republican Christopher Prosch in the race for an open Senate seat in Senate District 1. The seat was left open after Sen. Rocky De Witt, a Republican, died in June.
Drey secured 55% of the vote, or 4,208 votes, to Prosch's 3,411 votes in the special election held on Tuesday. President Donald Trump carried the district by more than 11 points last year.
Why you should care:
Drey's win breaks the GOP's supermajority in the Iowa Senate, which gives Democrats more power in the state Senate. That includes the ability to stop the governor's nominees, which require two-thirds support for confirmation.
Her win brings the makeup of the chamber to 17 Democrats and 33 Republicans.
This is the second time this year Democrats have flipped a Republican-controlled state Senate seat in Iowa. Democrat Mike Zimmer defeated Republican Katie Whittington in a special election for Senate District 35 in January.
What they're saying:
The Democratic National Committee cheered Drey's victory. DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:
"Iowans are seeing Republicans for who they are: self-serving liars who will throw their constituents under the bus to rubber stamp Donald Trump’s disastrous agenda — and they’re ready for change. They are putting Republicans on notice and making it crystal clear: any Republican pushing Trump’s unpopular, extreme agenda has no place governing on behalf of Iowa families. That’s why all year long, Iowans have been electing Democrats ready to fight for working Iowans. Make no mistake: when Democrats organize everywhere, we win everywhere, and today is no exception."
The DNC says Drey's victory is the latest in a string of "Democratic overperformances and victories," noting Democrats have won or "overperformed" in 37 out of 38 "key elections."