Democrat Renee Hardman wins Iowa state Senate special election, defeating Lucas Loftin

Hardman was elected to the Iowa state Senate Tuesday in a holiday-week special election, denying Republicans’ bid to reclaim two-thirds control of the chamber.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Democrat Renee Hardman was elected to the Iowa state Senate on Tuesday in a holiday-week special election, denying Republicans’ bid to reclaim two-thirds control of the chamber.

Hardman bested Republican Lucas Loftin by an overwhelming margin to win the seat representing parts of Des Moines’ suburbs. It became vacant after the Oct. 6 death of state Sen. Claire Celsi, a Democrat.

Hardman, CEO of nonprofit Lutheran Services of Iowa and a member of the West Des Moines City Council, becomes the first Black woman elected to the Senate.

The Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines.Mihai Andritoiu / Shutterstock fileDemocratic voters outnumber Republicans in the district by about 3,300 voters, or 37% to 30%.

A GOP win would have given the party a supermajority once again, just months after a Democrat flipped a Republican seat in an August special election, giving Democrats 17 seats to Republicans’ 33. Celsi’s death made that 16.