Mike Klimesh

Mike Klimesh
Majority Leader of the Iowa Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 24, 2025
Preceded byJack Whitver
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 32nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 11, 2021
Preceded byMichael Breitbach
Constituency28th district (2021–2023)
32nd district (2023–present)
Personal details
BornMichael Klimesh
1969 (age 56–57)
Decorah, Iowa, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseKate
Children1
EducationLuther College (BA)

Michael T. "Mike" Klimesh (/ˈklɪmɪʃ/ KLIM-ish[1]; born 1969)[2][3] 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.[4]

Education

Klimesh graduated from South Winneshiek High School in Calmar, Iowa and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Luther College.[5]

Career

Klimesh served as the mayor of Spillville, Iowa from 2008 to 2020.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8]

He was elected as the Majority Leader of the Iowa Senate on September 24, 2025.[4]

Klimesh controversially removed Senator Doug Campbell from all of his legislative committee assignments at the beginning of the 2026 Iowa Legislative Session.[9] Multiple Republican County Central Committees, including those in Plymouth[10], Cerro Gordo[11], Wright[12], and Linn[13] counties passed resolutions opposing the move.

References

  1. ↑ "Rules". Facebook. August 26, 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  2. ↑ https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=90&personID=30547
  3. ↑ https://www.thegazette.com/news/state/new-republican-leader-chosen-for-iowa-senate/article_75742a1f-412b-5f89-bb73-5559a498c8a6.html
  4. 1 2 Opsahl, Robin (September 24, 2025). "Sen. Mike Klimesh elected Iowa Senate majority leader". Iowa Capital Dispatch. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Mike Klimesh". Iowa Senate Republicans. 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  6. ↑ Courier, SARAH STRANDBERG For the. "Spillville Mayor Mike Klimesh is running for the Iowa Senate". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  7. ↑ "Mike Klimesh announces candidacy for District 28 of the Iowa Senate | The Standard Newspaper". www.waukonstandard.com. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  8. ↑ "Michael T. Klimesh". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  9. ↑ Henderson, O.K. (January 15, 2026). ""GOP senator stripped of Iowa Senate committee assignments"".
  10. ↑ "Plymouth County GOP Central Committee censures Majority Leader Klimesh over 'retaliatory abuse of power' - The Iowa Standard". 2026-01-14. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  11. ↑ "Cerro Gordo County Republicans Unanimously Condemn Removal of Sen. Campbell from Committees - The Iowa Standard". 2026-01-16. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  12. ↑ "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.
  13. ↑ "Linn County GOP Rebukes Iowa Senate Leadership Over Removal of Conservative Senators - The Iowa Standard". 2026-02-13. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
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