"When We Remove the R and the D from Things, We Know That Progressive Policy Wins"
An interview with Iowa State Senator-elect Catelin Drey
Last Tuesday, Democrat Catelin Drey won the special election in the First State Senate District of Iowa by 11 points, defeating an ultra-MAGA Republican in a district Donald Trump won by the same margin last year. That’s a swing of 22 points—and the fourth special election in Iowa this year to move to Democrats by a margin of 22 points or more.
It caused enough of an earthquake in the Hawkeye State to prompt Joni Ernst to announce yesterday that she would not seek another term in the U.S. Senate. While we cannot say with certainty how much Catelin Drey’s victory contributed to Ernst’s decision, the timing of her announcement is certainly interesting. There are few coincidences in politics.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Catelin Drey and talk about her campaign, to find out what motivated her to run as a progressive in a red district, and to see if she has any lessons for Democrats in other states as the midterms begin to heat up.
And she does.
We spoke about the value of authenticity in politics, how people are hungering for candidates who listen to them, and how people respond if you can get beyond the limiting effects of party labels and let progressive ideas speak for themselves.
You can listen to my brief interview with State Senator-elect Drey here:
After our discussion, the senator-elect asked me to pass along to Wolves and Sheep readers her deep appreciation for the support she received from this community. She said our contributions made a difference to her campaign, and told her that the hunger for progressive change goes well beyond Iowa.
So on her behalf, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to Catelin Drey through Bowers News Media.
Joni Ernst’s departure in the wake of Catelin Drey’s ascension is a pivotal moment in the 2026 cycle. The U.S. Senate seat in Iowa is now open, making it more competitive for Democrats. And with Democrats overperforming across the state there is a genuine opportunity to pick it up—and give Democrats a shot at the majority.
We’re going to take a short break over the long weekend, but Chris and I will be back on Tuesday. We hope you have an enjoyable Labor Day!
Great interview, Matt! She has some skills. I hope to see her campaign for a national role someday.