Democrats win special election for Iowa House District 78 seat representing Cedar Rapids
By Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register
Democrat Angelina Ramirez has won a special election for an Iowa House seat representing Cedar Rapids, becoming the first Latina elected to the Iowa Legislature and retaining the seat for her party.
Ramirez, a local social justice advocate, handily defeated Republican Bernie Hayes, a retired systems engineer, in the April 29 election for the District 78 seat 79% to 21%, according to unofficial results.
Ramirez said in a statement she was “deeply honored and humbled by the trust you have placed in me.”
“I am so honored to be elected as the first Latina elected in the Iowa State Legislature,” she said. “Progress isn’t partisan. Fully funded schools, access to healthcare, clean air and water, these are Iowa values. I believe every Iowan, no matter their zip code or background, deserves dignity, opportunity, and justice. I am looking forward to advocating for these values in the House!”
The House vacancy was created when former Democratic Rep. Sami Scheetz resigned after being appointed to an empty seat on the Linn County Board of Supervisors April 1. The term spans through 2026.
House District 78 covers downtown Cedar Rapids, surrounding neighborhoods and a sliver of the area west of the Cedar River.
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said in a statement Ramirez’s fit with the district, character, hard work and Linn County organizers made her win possible.
“The scale of our victory tonight shows that as long as Democrats run candidates who understand and fight for their communities, we can win elections across the state,” Hart said. “There’s more work to be done, but tonight we can rest assured that things are looking a little brighter. We won this election in good shape. Tomorrow we get ready for the next.”
With Ramirez’s win, Iowa House Republicans maintain a 67-33 supermajority.
Although she makes history as the first Latina elected to the state Legislature, Rep. Mark Cisneros, R-Muscatine, became the first Latino elected Iowa lawmaker in 2020.
Angelina Ramirez made Iowa her home after graduating from Coe College
Ramirez, a 25-year-old originally from California and Arizona, is the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants.
She emerged as a prominent Cedar Rapids social and racial justice advocate after Minneapolis police killed George Floyd in May 2020, sparking calls for police reform and a broader push for racial equity nationwide.
Ramirez was a first-generation college graduate of Coe College in Cedar Rapids, and decided to stay in the city after graduating with bachelor’s degrees in political science and social and criminal justice.
She serves as the executive director of Our Future, a Cedar Rapids nonprofit focused on climate education and youth leadership development, and works at Kids First Law Center as a peace facilitator at McKinley STEAM Academy, a Cedar Rapids middle school.
On the campaign trail, she called for boosting funding for public schools, protecting civil rights, increasing affordable healthcare access, expanding affordable housing, raising the minimum wage and restoring public sector unions’ collective bargaining rights.
“You elected me to be your voice in Des Moines, and I will never forget that responsibility,” Ramirez said.
Angelina Ramirez of Cedar Rapids speaks during a Kill the Racist Bills protest at the Iowa Capitol Building in Des Moines on Thursday, April 8, 2021. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register
Local leaders endorsed Ramirez’s House bid including Scheetz, state Sen. Liz Bennett, D-Cedar Rapids, and former Democratic state Sen. Rob Hogg, as well as major labor groups including the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, Hawkeye Area Labor Council and the Iowa State Education Association.
“Angel represents the future of Iowa — a leader rooted in our community, committed to education, opportunity, and making Iowa a place where young people want to build their lives,” Scheetz said in a statement.
With just a few weeks to campaign for office, state filings show Ramirez’s campaign brought in $12,695, outraising her opponent. Hayes reported $1,050 in campaign contributions.
Ramirez is no stranger to the Capitol.
She previously served as a Senate clerk for Hogg, a longtime state lawmaker who chose not to seek reelection in 2022.
As part of the Cedar Rapids nonprofit Advocates for Social Justice, she worked on a “Kill the Racist Bills” initiative calling on Iowa lawmakers to stop legislation that Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law that banned diversity, equity and inclusion training in school districts and Iowa’s three public universities, including teaching that Iowa and the U.S. are systemically racist.
Iowa has already held two special elections to fill lawmakers’ seats in 2025
The contest marks the third special legislative election Iowa has seen this year.
The first was in Senate District 35, where Democrat Mike Zimmer pulled off a surprise victory over Republican Kate Whittington in the seat Chris Cournoyer vacated when she became lieutenant governor.
And in House District 100, Republicans retained a seat that became vacant in January after former Rep. Martin Graber unexpectedly died of a heart attack. Republican Blaine Watkins beat Democrat Nannette Griffin.
Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at [email protected]. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @marissajpayne.
