Stutting Wins Iowa Senate District 35 Seat
Republican challenger Joe Stutting defeated Democratic incumbent Mike Zimmer in the Tuesday general election, with Republicans also retaining every Clinton County office.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Republican Joe Stutting defeated Democratic incumbent Mike Zimmer in Iowa Senate District 35, receiving 51.85% of the vote to Zimmer's 48.06% in the November 3, 2026 general election. Republicans also retained control of all Clinton County offices.
Why it matters
The result shifts control of a state Senate seat in Iowa and reflects how local and legislative races in Clinton County were decided in the same election. Counting on the seat's partisan balance and county offices is directly tied to the local outcome.
Stutting received 13,508 votes (51.85%) to Zimmer's 12,521 (48.06%) in Senate District 35, while Meier (D) unseated incumbent Determann (R) in House District 69 with 51.62% of the vote. The extraction does not state whether these tallies are unofficial or whether any recount is pending.
The players
Joe Stutting
Republican candidate who won Iowa Senate District 35 in the 2026 general election.
Mike Zimmer
Democratic incumbent who lost his Iowa Senate District 35 seat to Republican challenger Joe Stutting.
Randy Meier
Democratic candidate who defeated Republican incumbent Tom Determann in Iowa House District 69.
The details
Stutting, a Republican, defeated Democratic incumbent Mike Zimmer for the Iowa Senate District 35 seat. In Iowa House District 69, Democrat Randy Meier defeated Republican incumbent Tom Determann, while Republican Norlin Mommsen held House District 70 against Democrat George Pickup. Republican James McHugh ran unopposed for county attorney, and Steve Cundiff led the two Board of Supervisors seats with 9,871 votes.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: General election votes counted and results announced for state and county races.
Political Context
The result is tied to Iowa's existing Senate District 35 and House District 69 and 70 boundaries, which set the electorate for this contest. The extraction does not describe any opposition statements or policy disputes arising from these outcomes.
Because Senate District 35 and House District 69 changed hands, Iowa residents in those districts will have different legislators representing them. Clinton County voters will see Republicans continue to hold all county offices.
The takeaway
Legislative and county outcomes in this election show that split results across district and county races can occur in the same cycle. Voters can compare these results against official canvass figures as they are finalized.
Further reading
Find more coverage in the Iowa Elections section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Clinton Herald.
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