Iowa State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2022
Iowa Senate District 26
A district of about 67,000 people, 30% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes R+14.5 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Kara Warme (R) · won59.6%
- Mike Wolfe (D)40.2%
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 12:13 PM ET
Where it sits among all 50 seats
Every Iowa State Senate seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
16 races since 1968; the seat changed party 3 times. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2022 | |||
| 2024 | Kara Warme (R) | Mike Wolfe (D) | 19.4 |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Waylon Brown (R) | Deb Scharper (D) | 31.1 |
| 2016 | Waylon Brown (R)Flip | Mary Jo Wilhelm (D) | 24.7 |
| 2012 | Mary Jo Wilhelm (D) | Merlin E. Bartz (R) | 0.4 |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | Steve Kettering (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 2004 | Steve Kettering (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Mary A. Lundby (R) | Harvey S. Ross (D) | 30.4 |
| 1996 | Mary A. Lundby (R) | Charlie Brown (D) | 27.2 |
| 1992 | Paul D. Pate (R) | Sylvia D. Kelley (D) | 20.2 |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Richard V. Running (D) | Evan R. Hughes (R) | 17.1 |
| 1984 | James D. Wells (D) | Kenneth D. Feeney (R) | 21.8 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1980 | Donald V. Doyle (D) | Leonard C. Andersen (R) | 6.0 |
| 1976 | James Calhoon (D)Flip | Leonard C. Andersen (R) | 0.1 |
| 1972 | Leonard C. Andersen (R) | William Gross (D) | 1.7 |
| Lines first used in 1962 | |||
| 1970 | Gene V. Kennedy (D)Flip | Leslie C. Klink (R) | 13.2 |
| 1968 | John L. Mowry (R) | Lavern Hoelscher (D) | 16.0 |
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 26
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 26's area in each.
- U.S. House
- IA-4 100%
Every race on these lines
Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.
| 2024 | |
|---|---|
| President | R+7.7 |
Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year
Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 50 seats. Small marks are other seats in Iowa. The black marker is District 26.
Higher than 63% of seats.
Lower than 67% of seats.
Higher than 94% of seats.
Lower than 69% of seats.
Higher than 67% of seats.
Less dense than 51% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean.
District 4822% college gradsR+26.9Not up in 2026District 46
37% college gradsR+12.7Not up in 2026District 41
27% college gradsR+9.6Held RDistrict 24
30% college gradsR+22.0Not up in 2026
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET