DES MOINES, Iowa ( IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH ) - Sen. Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, was elected Wednesday to serve as Iowa Senate majority leader, taking over the role from Sen. Jack Whitver.

Republicans, who hold a 33-17 majority in the Iowa Senate, met Wednesday and elected Klimesh to take on the top Senate leadership job.

Klimesh was first elected to the Senate in 2020 and defeated Democratic challenger Brian Bruening in the 2024 general election. Previously, he served as mayor of Spillville for 22 years, in addition to having worked as plant manager for Graphics, Inc. in Calmar.

In the 2025 legislative session, Klimesh was chairman for the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, in addition to serving as vice chair for the Local Government Committee and for the Health and Human Serv

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