Jack Whitver, the top Republican in the Iowa Senate, is stepping down from his leadership position and will not seek reelection in 2026. Whitver has been Senate Majority Leader for the past seven and a half years. Last spring, Whitver announced he’d been diagnosed with a brain tumor and Whitver says while progress remains positive, he still has a long way to go. Whitver, who’s from Ankeny, was first elected to the Senate in early 2011. Whitver says he ran because taxes were too high and he wanted to make it easier to work, start a business and raise a family in Iowa — and he believes through his service in the senate he’s accomplished those goals. Whitver’s current term in the Iowa Senate extends until early 2027. Senate Republicans will meet soon to select a new majority leader.
