DES MOINES — Jack Whitver, the Iowa Senate Majority Leader who has been battling a brain tumor for more than a year, will not seek reelection and will step aside as leader, he announced Tuesday.

In a news release, Whitver said he made the decision based on family considerations and his health.

Whitver, who is 45 years old, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in April of 2024. He has continued to serve as Iowa Senate Majority Leader since, including through the 2025 session of the Iowa Legislature.

First elected to the Iowa Senate in 2011, Whitver, a Republican, has been Iowa Senate Majority Leader since 2018.

Whitver is a business owner, lawyer and former Iowa State University football player. For years he lived in Ankeny; in 2022 he claimed a residence in Grimes to run for reelection in

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