Democrats In For A Bad Night In Iowa

By Pat Rynard

November 3, 2020

Initial results in Iowa look like it’s going to be a red wave that rivals if not surpasses 2016.

Polk County posted stunning results for Iowa House Democratic incumbents early this evening, with both Heather Matson and Karin Derry losing suburban seats. Matson’s race was not even seen by either party as competitive — she was expected to win handily. Andrea Phillips, who was engaged in a high-spending race with incumbent John Landon, lost by about seven points.

Without those seats, a House majority will likely be impossible and Republicans should retain full control of Iowa government. But moreso, if Democrats are actually losing ground in areas where they were poised to win new votes, it spells disaster across the state.

It appears that Iowa experienced massive voter turnout today, and that new turnout heavily favored Donald Trump and the Republicans.

As of 10:00 pm, both Joe Biden and Theresa Greenfield led in their races, but most of what came in is the early vote for large counties.

Starting Line will continue to update with new stories as things develop.

by Pat Rynard
Posted 11/3/20

Pat Rynard

Pat Rynard founded Iowa Starting Line in 2015. He is now Courier Newsroom's National Political Editor, where he oversees political reporters across the country. He still keeps a close eye on Iowa politics, his dog's name is Frank, and football season is his favorite time of year.

View all posts