The 1980 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1980 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in half of the state senate's districts—the 25 even-numbered state senate districts. State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate, with half of the seats up for election each cycle. A statewide map of the 50 state Senate districts in the year 1980 is provided by the Iowa General Assembly here.
The primary election on June 3, 1980, determined which candidates appeared on the November 4, 1980 general election ballot. Primary election results can be obtained here. General election results can be obtained here.
Following the previous elections in 1978, Republicans had control of the Iowa state Senate with 28 seats to Democrats' 22 seats. In 1979, Democratic Senator Earl Willits resigned and Republican Gary Baugher won a special election to fill the seat, thereby increasing Republicans' seats to 29.
To take control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net 5 Senate seats.
Republicans maintained their control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1980 general election with the balance of power remaining unchanged with Republicans holding 29 seats and Democrats having 21 seats after the election.
Summary of Results NOTE: The 25 odd-numbered districts did not have elections in 1980 so they are not listed here. State Senate DistrictIncumbent PartyElected Senator Party 2nd Irvin L. Bergman Rep Richard Vande Hoef Republican 4th Berl Priebe Dem Berl Priebe Democratic 6th Alvin V. Miller Dem Alvin V. Miller Democratic 8th Rolf V. Craft Rep Rolf V. Craft Republican 10th Robert M. "Bob" Carr Dem Robert M. "Bob" Carr Democratic 12th Merlin Hulse Rep Merlin Hulse Republican 14th Cloyd E. Robinson Dem James D. Wells Democratic 16th James V. Gallagher Dem James V. Gallagher Democratic 18th Bill Hansen Rep Ted J. Anderson Democratic 20th Elizabeth Ruby Miller Rep Michael R. Lura Republican 22nd Jack Nystrom Rep Jack Nystrom Republican 24th John R. Scott Dem Elvie C. Dreeszen Republican 26th James Calhoon Dem Donald V. Doyle Democratic 28th Charles W. Hutchins Dem Charles W. Hutchins Democratic 30th David Readinger Rep David Readinger Republican 32nd William D. Palmer Dem William D. Palmer Democratic 34th George Kinley Dem George Kinley Democratic 36th Joann Yessler Orr Dem Emil J. Husak Democratic 38th Richard F. Drake Rep Richard F. Drake Republican 40th Edgar Holden Rep Edgar Holden Republican 42nd Charles Peter Miller Dem Charles Peter Miller Democratic 44th Forrest Schwengels Rep Forrest Schwengels Republican 46th Bass Van Gilst Dem Bass Van Gilst Democratic 48th James E. Briles Rep James E. Briles Republican 50th Tom L. Slater Dem Tom L. Slater Democratic
Source:
Detailed Results Reminder: Only even-numbered Iowa Senate seats were up for election in 1980; therefore, odd-numbered seats did not have elections in 1980 & are not shown. District 2 • District 4 • District 6 • District 8 • District 10 • District 12 • District 14 • District 16 • District 18 • District 20 • District 22 • District 24 • District 26 • District 28 • District 30 • District 32 • District 34 • District 36 • District 38 • District 40 • District 42 • District 44 • District 46 • District 48 • District 50__NOTOC__ Note: If a district does not list a primary, then that district did not have a competitive primary (i.e., there may have only been one candidate file for that district).
District 2
District 4
District 6
District 8
District 10
District 12
District 14
District 16
District 18
District 20
District 22
District 24
District 26
District 28
District 30
District 32
District 34
District 36
District 38
District 40
District 42
District 44
District 46
District 48
District 50
See also United States elections, 1980 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 1980 Elections in Iowa
References