Democrat Wins Iowa State Senate Seat

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democrat Renee Hardman has been elected to the Iowa state Senate in a holiday-week special election, denying Republicans’ bid to reclaim two-thirds control of the chamber. Hardman bested Republican Lucas Loftin on Tuesday 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 becomes the first Black woman elected to the Senate. A GOP win would have given Republicans a super-majority once again, just months after a Democrat flipped a Republican seat in an August special election.