Statewide Iowa (RI) – Republican Mike Bousselot of Ankeny, a former aide to Governors Branstad and Reynolds, formed a committee this spring to explore a campaign for governor, but Bousselot has announced he’ll seek reelection to the state senate in 2026.
Bousselot says after prayer and reflection with his family, he’s determined now is not the right time to run for governor. Bousselot won a special election in September of 2021 for a seat in the Iowa House. He was elected to the Iowa Senate in 2022 by a 560-vote margin. Bousselot plans to seek reelection to the senate by a neighboring district that has far more Republican voters.
Former Senator Majority Leader Jack Whitver, who’s currently representing that district, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2024 and is not seeking re-election. Whitver has endorsed Bousselot’s 2026 campaign for the seat.
In other endorsement news, Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer, the third-ranking Republican in the U.S. House, has endorsed two Iowa candidates.
Emmer is backing Chris McGowan, one of five Republicans running in the fourth district, where Congressman Randy Feenstra is not seeking reelection. Emmer has also endorsed Joe Mitchell of Clear Lake, one of the Republicans running in the second district, currently represented by Ashley Hinson, who’s running for the U.S. Senate.
Last month, Emmer campaigned in Coralville for first district Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
Emmer has cautioned Iowa Republicans not to rest on their laurels, and he points to the 2018 election, which resulted in an Iowa congressional delegation evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.
