Mike Klimesh
Mike Klimesh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Majority Leader of the Iowa Senate | |
| Assumed office September 24, 2025[1] | |
| Preceded by | Jack Whitver |
| Member of the Iowa Senate from the 32nd district | |
| Assumed office January 11, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Michael Breitbach |
| Constituency | District 32 – (2023–Present) District 28 – (2021–2023) |
| Mayor of Spillville, Iowa | |
| In office 2008-2020 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Klimesh |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Kate |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Luther College (BA) |
Michael T. "Mike" Klimesh (/ˈklɪmɪʃ/ KLIM-ish[2]) is an American politician serving as a member of the Iowa Senate from the 32nd district. Elected in November 2020, he assumed office on January 11, 2021. He is the current Majority Leader of the Iowa Senate.[1]
Education
Klimesh graduated from South Winneshiek High School in Calmar, Iowa and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Luther College.[3]
Career
Klimesh served as the mayor of Spillville, Iowa from 2008 to 2020.[4] In 2010 and 2012, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Iowa House of Representatives. In 2015 and 2016, he worked as a coach at the Northeast Iowa Community College.[5] He was elected to the Iowa Senate in November 2020 and assumed office on January 11, 2021. He also serves as vice chair of the Senate Local Government Committee.[6]
He was elected as the Majority Leader of the Iowa Senate on September 24, 2025.[1]
Klimesh controversially removed Senator Doug Campbell from all of his legislative committee assignments at the beginning of the 2026 Iowa Legislative Session.[7] Multiple Republican County Central Committees, including those in Plymouth[8], Cerro Gordo[9], Wright[10], and Linn[11] counties passed resolutions opposing the move.
References
- ^ a b c Opsahl, Robin (September 24, 2025). "Sen. Mike Klimesh elected Iowa Senate majority leader". Iowa Capital Dispatch. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ^ "Rules". Facebook. August 26, 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ "Mike Klimesh". Iowa Senate Republicans. 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ Courier, SARAH STRANDBERG For the. "Spillville Mayor Mike Klimesh is running for the Iowa Senate". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ "Mike Klimesh announces candidacy for District 28 of the Iowa Senate | The Standard Newspaper". www.waukonstandard.com. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ "Michael T. Klimesh". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ Henderson, O.K. (January 15, 2026). ""GOP senator stripped of Iowa Senate committee assignments"".
- ^ "Plymouth County GOP Central Committee censures Majority Leader Klimesh over 'retaliatory abuse of power' - The Iowa Standard". 2026-01-14. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ^ "Cerro Gordo County Republicans Unanimously Condemn Removal of Sen. Campbell from Committees - The Iowa Standard". 2026-01-16. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ^ "Wright County GOP Passes Resolution Censuring Senate Majority Leader Klimesh for Retaliatory Abuse of Power - The Iowa Standard". 2026-01-30. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ^ "Linn County GOP Rebukes Iowa Senate Leadership Over Removal of Conservative Senators - The Iowa Standard". 2026-02-13. Retrieved 2026-02-14.