There is an open seat in our local Iowa Senate district. Find out who’s running in District 11 and what their campaign websites reveal about them.
Incumbent Republican Julian B. Garrett will not be seeking reelection to the Iowa Senate. This creates an open seat in District 11, which includes Warren County. Julian Garrett has served in the Iowa Senate since 2013. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives before winning a special election to secure his seat. Warren’s Voice wants to extend our appreciation of Sen. Garrett’s years of service and our prayers for this new season of life.
There are three Republicans running: Mandee Shivers, Jon Thorup, and Hollie Zajicek.
On the Democratic side, the only declared candidate is Sinikka Waugh, whose husband Spencer is running for Iowa House District 21.
On her campaign website, Shivers describes herself as “wife, mother, and homesteader”. She claims to advocate for parental rights, life, marriage, and the Second Amendment. She says she supports property tax reform, saying,
Homeownership is a cornerstone of the American Dream and the foundation of family stability. Yet rising property taxes place a heavy burden on families and threaten the very idea of true ownership. Policies must protect homeowners, prevent unjust increases, and ensure no one is taxed out of their home. Ownership should be honored—not penalized.
Jon Thorup was in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. He lost his last primary race because Gov. Kim Reynolds endorsed his opponent in response to Thorup’s opposition to the governor’s school choice legislation.
Thorup’s campaign website provides much less information but it describes him as a former state lawmaker and states, “A state police officer for almost 30 years, Thorup is a lifelong Iowan and has called Warren and Marion Counties home nearly all of it.”
While providing less details on her campaign website, Hollie Zajicek states her priorities are growing the economy, protecting our freedoms, supporting families, and strengthening communities. The website describes her as follows,
She served as a USDA loan specialist helping rural communities, led Warren County Economic Development for six years, and became the City of Norwalk’s first-ever Director of Economic Development. Hollie is married to Dave Zajicek, a major in the Iowa National Guard.
The primary will be held on June 2, 2026. The general election will be held on November 3, 2026. Please make plans to vote!
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