DES MOINES, Iowa —

Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver is stepping down from his leadership post and will not seek reelection in 2026.

His exit comes after nearly a decade leading Iowa Senate Republicans through sweeping policy changes. It also comes as the caucus faces deep internal divisions ahead of the next election.

Whitver was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2011 and has served as majority leader since 2018. Under his leadership, Republicans expanded their majority and advanced a conservative agenda that included cutting taxes, limiting government, instituting private school scholarships and restricting abortion access.

“I first started campaigning for the Iowa Senate hours after my oldest daughter was born. I ran because taxes were too high, and I wanted to make it easier

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