Renee Hardman, a Democrat from West Des Moines, has achieved a historic victory in the special election for central Iowa’s Senate District 16, becoming the first Black woman elected to the Iowa Senate.
Hardman decisively defeated her Republican opponent, Lucas Loftin, by a margin of over 40 percentage points.
This district, which encompasses parts of West Des Moines, Clive, and Windsor Heights, was previously held by Democratic Sen. Claire Celsi, who passed away in October, according to Iowa Public Radio.
After her victory, Hardman acknowledged the significance of her historic achievement as the first Black woman elected to the Senate.
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“I want to recognize that while my name was the one on the ballot, this race was never just about me,” she said, according to PBS.
She also stated, “With this comes though great responsibility, responsibility to live out those five words that was on my yard sign. That I be the voice for all people, a beacon of light and hope that Iowa can be a better place where every family has the opportunity to thrive,” as reported by Iowa Public Radio.
Hardman also thanked the late Senator Celsi, crediting her with mentorship during Hardman’s successful campaign for the West Des Moines City Council. Hardman stressed that her senate campaign was about more than just her personal goals.
She stated, “It was about whether families in this district can find childcare that they can afford, whether parents can take their kids to a doctor and trust that they will care for their needs, whether seniors can live life with dignity and money still in their pockets, whether workers can earn a fair wage and build a life for their families too.”
Hardman also expressed gratitude to the volunteers and fellow Democrats. She credited their help with door-knocking, even in the winter weather, as the key to the campaign’s success.
She remarked, “We just decided as a collective that we’re going to get this job done, and we are going to prevent the supermajority, and that is what helped drive our motivation to get this job done.”
The senator-elect holds the positions of president and CEO of the nonprofit, Lutheran Services in Iowa, while also currently serving her third term on the West Des Moines City Council.
Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, also thanked voters, the Iowa Democratic Party, and other Democratic candidates for their successful campaign efforts.
“Mike Zimmer, Catelin Drey, and now Renee Hardman, you are changing the face of our caucus, of the Iowa Senate, of our politics, of the state of Iowa,” Weiner said. “You have helped us break the supermajority and start to bring some balance back to this state.”
Rita Hart, Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, released a statement praising Hardman as a respected individual ready for a larger role in serving the state.
Hart wrote, “Democrats will continue to focus on affordability, common sense, and a new direction for our state. With candidates committed to their communities like Renee, Democrats are offering a new direction for Iowa in 2026!”
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