The Democratic National Committee is putting more volunteers in Iowa ahead of Tuesday’s special election for the state Senate, in which Democrat Catelin Drey is seeking to flip a GOP seat and break apart the chamber’s Republican supermajority.

Drey will face Republican Christopher Prosch in the election for Iowa Senate District 1 to succeed the late GOP Sen. Rocky De Witt, who died in June from pancreatic cancer. Witt held the seat from 2022 until his death.

Recommended Stories

• Ken Paxton endorses Aaron Reitz over Chip Roy in bid to succeed him as Texas attorney general
• Democrats are ‘never going to win’ nationally if Mamdani prevails: Joe Concha
• Kathy Hochul positions herself as 'mom from Buffalo' fighting Trump in new ad

The DNC announced Monday it would roll out over 30,000 volunteers tasked with “get out the vote” initiatives, including canvassing and digital engagement, as well as collaborating with the Iowa Democratic Party to host text and phone banks. 

DNC Chairman Ken Martin said in a statement that the national committee has ignored downballot races “for far too long.” 

“Rebuilding the Democratic Party starts from the ground up, and we’ve seen amazing victories in Iowa so far this year,” Martin said. “We’re all hands on deck to break the Iowa Republican supermajority and invest our resources in supporting candidates on the ground everywhere.”

After the 2024 election, the Democratic Party is undergoing a period of reflection after historically blue voting blocs trended toward President Donald Trump. Younger Democrats are craving fresh blood at the state and national levels, arguing the establishment party is out of touch and that it’s time for a new generation of voters.

Martin, who became DNC chairman earlier this year, is now faced with the task of rebuilding the party at a time when favorability ratings are low. Off-year elections in 2025 have served as an early temperature check on Trump’s agenda and the GOP trifecta in Washington. But they have also put a spotlight on whether new leadership in the DNC can turn the party around in time for the midterm elections in 2026.

The party is on a winning streak when it comes to 2025 special elections. Democrats have successfully flipped multiple seats in Pennsylvania, Nebraska, New York, and other states, including another Iowa state Senate seat earlier this year.

For Iowa Senate District 1, registered Republicans outnumber Democrats, 38% to 31% with 29% having no party affiliation, giving Prosch a slight advantage. 

Currently, Republicans hold 33 seats and Democrats hold 16 seats in the Iowa state Senate. Prosch’s victory would maintain the Republican supermajority in the chamber, but a win for Drey would break the supermajority.

“To stop extreme Republican policies that are leading Iowa in the wrong direction, Democrats need to win everywhere,” Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Rita Hart said in a statement. “That’s why we are recruiting candidates like Catelin Drey who voters can trust because they know and love their communities. It’s time to put Iowans over insider and partisan interests.”

Neither Prosch nor Drey comes from a legislative background. Prosch, a political strategist, is the owner of Felix Strategies, a media consulting firm. Drey works for Antidote 71, an advertising company, and is the founder of Moms for Iowa, a grassroots organization fighting gun violence and challenges to reproductive rights.

“From the start, this race has been powered by grassroots organizers in Iowa. The Woodbury County Democrats have been the backbone of our organization efforts. Having the DNC help take up the mantle to get us over the last few days of campaigning will help us reach as many voters in Senate District 1 as possible,” Drey said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.

Both candidates have faced attack ads from the opposing parties. A mailer from the Republican Party of Iowa, obtained by Iowa Public Radio, accused Drey of supporting “illegal aliens” voting in elections. The Democrat has called that statement untrue.

“The Iowa GOP has really taken a page out of the national playbook in terms of digging up ‘dirt on the other candidate.’ I will say that number one, no. I don’t believe in allowing undocumented or non-U.S. citizens to vote in our elections. That’s ludicrous,” Drey told the outlet.

Prosch has faced heavy criticism for his comments on abortion when it comes to rape and incest victims. 

“So your solution to a tragedy is to have another tragedy. Oh, OK. So, you know, and let’s not, you know, mince words here. The baby did nothing wrong. Now, if you don’t want to raise that child, that’s completely understandable, but there’s something called adoption,” he said in a video in 2022.

DAVID HOGG ENDORSEMENT POWER TESTED WITH 2025 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES

In an interview with Iowa Public Radio, he said he’s “100% pro-life” but argued his comments were taken out of context. On his website, he aligned himself with Trump on immigration. 

“Illegal immigration was the single most important issue in the last presidential campaign, and Christopher Prosch could not agree more. He believes we must have a secure border and supports President Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration,” the website states. 

The Washington Examiner reached out to Prosch for comment.