Democrat Angel Ramirez defeated Republican Bernie Hayes in an Iowa special election for the State House, in what the Democratic Party hailed as a “clear rebuke of Trump.”
Ramirez secured 79 percent of the vote versus Hayes’ 21 percent, according to preliminary results for the state’s 78th district in Cedar Rapids.
But turnout was just 3,470, or 17.4 percent of registered voters in the district—down sharply from the 11,168 votes in 2024.
I don’t think it’s a clear rebuke of Trump when only 17% of the voting population participated. If anything, it’s a clear sign that if you can get more people out to vote for you in an off cycle, special election, which probably received little publicity, then you’ll probably win.
Had turn out been higher, I would be willing to bet that it wouldn’t have turned out as a win for the Democrats.
That all said, I’m glad Ramirez won.
Edit: Fixed a typo
Usually low turnout benefits the Republicans. This is potentially every Democrat coming out to vote against Trump while Republicans stayed home because they don’t like Trump anymore but can’t bring themselves to vote for a Democrat.
Didn’t you hear? Republicans don’t have to vote anymore. Their dear Orange Messiah told them they didn’t have to vote.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around that one…
The math is pretty easy, actually…
He got “voted” in, and in the next “election” he’ll receive 107% of the votes, whether Republicans cast votes or not. See? They don’t have to vote anymore, and he still “wins!”
Not that difficult if you remove the assumption of fair elections
i wish the R did more of non-voting, they did more harm by voting for republicans in general.
It it’s like the other recent votes, it’s actually republicans turning out to vote for democrats. I think both Florida and Michigan(?) had less democrats and more republicans turning out, meaning that republicans are turning on the party.
This was a safe democrat seat, Ramirez is replacing guy who was a union organizer before becoming a state senator. Cedar Rapids is a fairly liberal area, it’s one of 3 to 5 blue dots in Iowa every election. The other two being Iowa City and Des Moines.
This isn’t a clear rebuke of anything, of anything it’s an omen when so few people even bothered to vote.
Safe blue seat in a state legislature. Yawn.
One seat is promising. Doesn’t mean jack until 2026 though - call me then.
is this for HOUse, or state house, house of the us is more important.
