State Senator Waylon Brown announced on July 8 that he is resigning his Iowa Senate seat, effective July 10. Brown chairs the Iowa Senate Commerce Committee and has served as majority whip (the fourth-ranking position for Senate Republicans) since the 2023 legislative session. He was first elected to the legislature in 2016.
In a written statement, Brown touted various policy accomplishments but did not explain why he is stepping down. He said, “I look forward to my next chapter,” without indicating whether he has a new job lined up that would be incompatible with serving in the legislature. Bleeding Heartland’s efforts to reach Brown by phone and email were not successful. His campaign Facebook page was taken down the afternoon of July 8; no new content had been posted there since an appeal to voters on the day of the June 4 primary.
Although Iowa legislators occasionally resign during an election year—sometimes to accept a new job—it’s unusual for an incumbent to spend heavily on a tough primary campaign, then step down weeks after winning.
Brown’s race against Doug Campbell for the GOP nomination in Senate district 30 was the most expensive Iowa legislative primary in 2024. Brown spent more than $55,000 on television advertising alone, plus tens of thousands more on radio and digital ads and direct mail. The 527 group Iowans for a Renewable Future, with ties to the ethanol industry, also spent tens of thousands of dollars on television and radio ads promoting Brown’s candidacy before the primary.
Private property rights were the central campaign issue for Campbell, who blamed Brown for killing eminent domain reform bills in the Senate Commerce Committee.
The incumbent won the primary by 2,547 votes to 2,273 (52.8 percent to 47.1 percent), according to unofficial results.
In late June, the Iowa Utilities Board (which has since been renamed the Iowa Utilities Commission) approved an application from Summit Carbon Solutions to build a CO2 pipeline, using eminent domain to seize land from property owners who refused to sign voluntary easements. Summit Carbon’s proposed route goes through every county that is part of Senate district 30.
The Republican Party of Iowa has plenty of time to nominate a candidate to replace Brown in the district, which covers Cerro Gordo, Worth, and Mitchell counties, plus a small area in Floyd County.
Delegates from the precincts in the district will select a nominee at a special convention, which has not yet been scheduled. Delegates’ votes will be weighted, depending on how many votes the top GOP candidate on the ballot received in each precinct in recent elections.
Campbell posted on Facebook on July 8,
Although Waylon Brown’s resignation was unexpected, I believe I have earned this opportunity through dedication, hard work, and a deep commitment to our community. I am ready to be a strong candidate and a relentless advocate for our district.
I am committed to working tirelessly for each and every one of you, focusing on the issues that matter most to us all.
Together, we can make a real difference. Let’s come together, support each other, and build a brighter future for Iowa!
Thank you for your trust and support.
I have not heard of other potential GOP candidates in the district and will update this post as needed.
The Democratic nominee in Senate district 30 is Rich Lorence, a public school employee who works at Mason City High School. In a statement issued July 8, he thanked Brown “for his hard work and leadership in the Iowa Senate on behalf of North Central Iowa” and wished him luck in his future endeavors. Lorence added,
As we move forward, I am more committed than ever to serving North Central Iowa and making our state better for everyone. This election is a pivotal moment for our district, and we have the opportunity to bring in new ideas and address the challenges we face to improve our public education, protect our landowner’s rights from big corporations, and ensure Iowan’s freedoms are protected from politicians in Des Moines.
The latest official figures indicate that Iowa Senate district 30 has 11,817 registered Democrats, 16,253 Republicans, 17,509 no-party voters, and 297 Libertarians. The district leans Republican; according to the map Josh Hughes created in Dave’s Redistricting App, Donald Trump gained 55.7 percent of the vote in this area in 2020, while Joe Biden received 42.5 percent. In the same general election, Senator Joni Ernst outpolled Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield by 50.9 percent to 46.1 percent.
Proposed Summit Carbon Solutions route through Iowa (downloaded from the company’s website):
