Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver will step down from his leadership position and will not seek reelection in 2026, he announced Tuesday, citing treatment for a brain tumor and his busy family life.
The Republican from the Des Moines suburbs was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2011 and has held the chamber’s top leadership position since 2018.
Whitver said he first ran for the Iowa Senate after his oldest daughter was born.
“My oldest daughter is now driving, and my three children are very active, making family life busier than ever,” he said in a statement. “I continue to battle a brain tumor, and while progress remains positive, I still have a long way to go. My work in the Senate may be coming to a close, but my commitment to making Iowa the best state in the country will always be a part of my life.”
“I continue to battle a brain tumor, and while progress remains positive, I still have a long way to go."Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver
Whitver announced in May of 2024 that he had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.
He will continue to serve as majority leader until Senate Republicans meet to vote for a new leader.
“I ran [for Senate] because taxes were too high, and I wanted to make it easier to work, start a business and raise a family in Iowa,” Whitver said. “I believe I have accomplished my goals. I am proud of the work we have accomplished in limiting government, controlling spending, reducing taxes and expanding the rights and freedoms of the people in this great state.”
He also highlighted the expansion of gun rights, the state’s ban on most abortions as early as six weeks of pregnancy, restrictions for transgender people related to sports and bathrooms, changes to public assistance programs and an overhaul of election laws.
While Whitver was majority leader, the Republican majority in the Iowa Senate grew from 29 seats to a 35-member supermajority. Democrats have since won two special elections, leaving the balance of power in the Senate at 33 Republicans and 17 Democrats.
