In a result that shocked political observers across the nation, Democrat Catelin Drey has flipped a deep-red Iowa State Senate seat once considered untouchable. The district, carried by Donald Trump with a wide margin in both 2016 and 2020, delivered a stunning upset that ended the GOP’s supermajority in the Iowa Senate.

With this win, Republicans lose their ability to govern unchecked in Des Moines. For Democrats, this is not only a local triumph — it’s a national signal that momentum is shifting.

The 2025 political map is telling a clear story. Across special elections nationwide, Democrats are not only competitive in unlikely places, they’re outperforming district partisan lean by double digits.

In suburban districts, Democrats are expanding their leads.

In rural communities, they’r

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