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Jack Whitver
2023 - Present
2027
2
Jack Whitver (Republican Party) is a member of the Iowa State Senate, representing District 23. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2, 2027.
Whitver began serving as state Senate majority leader in March 2018.[1] He served in this capacity until September 16, 2025.[2]
Whitver received a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Iowa State University in 2002, a master's degree in business from Iowa State University in 2003, and a law degree from Drake University in 2012.[3] He founded Acceleration Iowa Sports Training, a speed and agility training program, in 2004. In 2012, Whitver became the owner of several CrossFit locations in Iowa. After receiving his law degree, Whitver began working as an attorney at Whitaker Hagenow & Gustoff.[4]
Whitver first ran for the Iowa State Senate in 2011, winning a special election to represent District 35. Whitver defeated John Calhoun (D) with 63% of the vote.[5] Whitver was re-elected to the Iowa Senate three times. Due to redistricting after the 2010 census, Whitver's district was changed from District 35 to District 19, which he represented from 2013 to 2023. Due to redistricting after the 2020 census, Whitver began representing District 23 in 2023.
Republican members first chose Whitver for a leadership position in 2014, when his caucus selected him to serve as minority whip.[6] After the 2016 elections, his caucus selected him to serve as state Senate president, the second-highest ranking Republican leadership position in the chamber.[1] In 2018, Iowa State Senate Republicans elected Whitver to serve as state Senate majority leader, the highest-ranking Republican leadership position in the chamber.[7]
Following his re-election as majority leader in 2024, Whitver issued a statement saying, "I am proud of our accomplishments like implementing a flat income tax, eliminating the tax on retirement income, fighting off excessive spending and providing law enforcement the legal protection and equipment they need to safely do their jobs. [...] I look forward to working on important issues facing our state like lowering the cost of living and easing the property tax burden."[8] His campaign website said, "Senator Whitver believes the key to Iowa’s future is a 21st century economy which blends the technology, innovation, and efficiency of the present with the traditional values of hard work and sacrifice Iowans have always been known for."[9]
Biography
Jack Whitver was born in Knoxville, Iowa.[10] Whitver earned a B.S. in exercise science from Iowa State University in 2002, an M.B.A. from Iowa State University in 2003, and a J.D. from Drake University in 2012. His career experience includes owning CrossFit Des Moines and Acceleration Iowa Sports Training and working as an attorney with Whitaker Hagenow & Gustoff LLP.[10][11]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Whitver was assigned to the following committees:
- Rules and Administration Committee, Chair
- Rules and Administration Committee, Vice Chair
- Legislative Council, Vice Chair
- Service Committee, Chair
- Studies Committee, Chair
2021-2022
Whitver was assigned to the following committees:
2019-2020
Whitver was assigned to the following committees:
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Iowa committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Rules and Administration, Vice chair |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Whitver served on the following committees:
| Iowa committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Government Oversight |
| • Judiciary |
| • Labor and Business Relations |
| • Rules and Administration |
| • State Government |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Whitver served on the following committees:
| Iowa committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
| • Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa |
| • Ethics |
| • Human Resources |
| • Judiciary |
| • State Government |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Whitver served on these committees:
| Iowa committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Economic Growth/Rebuild |
| • Human Resources |
| • Judiciary |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
See also: Iowa State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Iowa State Senate District 23
Incumbent Jack Whitver defeated Matt Pries in the general election for Iowa State Senate District 23 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jack Whitver (R) | 58.6 | 17,276 |
 | Matt Pries (D)  | 41.3 | 12,159 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 26 | ||
| Total votes: 29,461 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Iowa State Senate District 23
Matt Pries advanced from the Democratic primary for Iowa State Senate District 23 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Matt Pries | 99.8 | 2,692 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 5 | ||
| Total votes: 2,697 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Iowa State Senate District 23
Incumbent Jack Whitver advanced from the Republican primary for Iowa State Senate District 23 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jack Whitver | 99.7 | 3,629 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 12 | ||
| Total votes: 3,641 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2018
- See also: Iowa State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Iowa State Senate District 19
Incumbent Jack Whitver defeated Amber Gustafson in the general election for Iowa State Senate District 19 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jack Whitver (R) | 51.3 | 18,598 |
 | Amber Gustafson (D) | 48.6 | 17,608 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 37 | ||
| Total votes: 36,243 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Iowa State Senate District 19
Amber Gustafson advanced from the Democratic primary for Iowa State Senate District 19 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Amber Gustafson | 100.0 | 4,366 |
| Total votes: 4,366 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Iowa State Senate District 19
Incumbent Jack Whitver defeated Brett Nelson in the Republican primary for Iowa State Senate District 19 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jack Whitver | 80.8 | 1,369 |
 | Brett Nelson | 19.2 | 326 | |
| Total votes: 1,695 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2014
- See also: Iowa State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Iowa State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 14, 2014. Incumbent Jack Whitver defeated Brett H. Nelson in the Republican primary and faced Nelson (I) again in the general election. Nelson filed to run as an Independent on August 13, 2014.[12][13] Incumbent Whitver defeated challenger Nelson in the general election.[14]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Jack Whitver Incumbent |
81% | 16,742 | |
| Independent | Brett Nelson | 18.4% | 3,802 | |
| Write-in | Write-in | 0.5% | 113 | |
| Total Votes | 20,657 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Jack Whitver Incumbent |
78.8% | 2,362 |
| Brett Nelson | 21.2% | 635 |
| Total Votes | 2,997 | |
2011
Whitver won the Republican nomination for the special election to fill Noble's vacant Senate seat. Whitver went on to defeat Democratic candidate John Calhoun (D) in the January 18 special election.[15]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jack Whitver did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2011
Whitver's 2011 special election campaign site emphasized several key policy positions and campaign themes:
- Summary: "Jack is a pro-life, pro-family, fiscal conservative. He will fight for traditional marriage and will fight to support the 2nd Amendment. He believes that an attack on the 2nd Amendment is not only an attack on gun rights, but an attack on all of our liberties protected in the Bill of Rights."
Jack Whitver's nomination speech |
- Budget: "Jack believes that spending in America has gotten out of control. It is immoral for government to continue to incur debt and pass it on to our children. Concerned that the spending problems at the national level have trickled down to Iowa, Jack is dedicated to balancing the state budget. As a business owner, Jack believes that a balanced budget means "money in" equals "money out."He will oppose legislation that uses gimmicks or one time "stimulus" dollars to balance the budget."
- Taxes: "Jack believes that the government is not the answer to our problems. Lower taxes will allow the private sector to stimulate the economy. It is wrong for government to think they are the ones who can stimulate the economy."
- Agriculture: "Jack understands that agriculture remains the backbone of Iowa's economy and will work to not only promote Iowa's agricultural interests, but protect farmers from overzealous regulation and increased taxation."
- Education: "As a young father and product of Iowa's public schools, Jack knows that Iowa must prepare its children to compete in a global economy. Jack is dedicated to making sure that Iowa’s schools are the best in the nation, which means a greater focus on student achievement and rewarding quality teachers."
Noteworthy events
Presidential preference
2012
Jack Whitver endorsed Michele Bachmann in the 2012 presidential election.[16]
Marco Rubio presidential campaign, 2016
- See also: Marco Rubio presidential campaign, 2016
On April 13, 2015, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) announced his presidential run on a conference call with donors. He referred to himself as "uniquely qualified" for the nomination. The call came hours before a scheduled campaign rally in Miami. Rubio wasted no time in surrounding himself with a small but seasoned staff.[17]
Whitver served as chairman and strategist in Iowa for Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign.[18]
Whitver said the following about joining Rubio's campaign:[18]
| “ | I am thrilled to announce that I am both endorsing Senator Marco Rubio for President of the United States, and that I will be serving as the Iowa Chair for his presidential campaign.
I was moved to this decision for two reasons. First, I have come to know him as a good, honest, family man with a passion for this country and its future. Second, he has the conservative beliefs, and the track record to prove them, that I deeply believe are essential to turning our nation around. As both a legislator and a small business owner, I uniquely see the connection between the laws we pass and the negative impacts they can have on our economy. I agree with Senator Rubio that combining our new era of technology and innovation with the right economic policy will result in an explosion of economic expansion and growth—and only by achieving these will we reach full-employment, a balanced budget, and the opportunity to get our fiscal house in order. Earning the chance to lead America is won not only on principals and ideas, but also from the ability to communicate them—and I see both in Marco Rubio. Over the next nine months I look forward to introducing Senator Rubio to Iowans in every corner of the state, and helping him share his vision to ignite a new American century. I know that not only will he win Iowans over—he will win the nomination, win the general election, and lead our great country forward.[19] |
” |
| —Jack Whitver | ||
Rubio suspended his presidential campaign on March 15, 2016.[20]
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Iowa scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 8 to April 20.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 9 to May 4.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 10 to May 24.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 11 to May 19.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 13 to June 14. The session was suspended from March 16 through June 3.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 14 through April 27.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 5.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 9 through April 22.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 11 through April 29.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 12 through June 5.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the 85th Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 13 through May 2.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 14 to May 23.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the 84th Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 9 to May 9.[23]
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Whitver and his wife, Rachel, have one child.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Iowa State Senate District 23 |
Officeholder Iowa State Senate District 23 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Iowa Senate Republicans, "Jack Whitver," accessed March 16, 2018
- ↑ Radio Iowa, “Whitver stepping down as GOP leader in Iowa Senate" accessed September 17, 2025
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Jack Whitver," accessed March 19, 2025
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "Meet the Candidate, Iowa Senate District 19: Jack Whitver," October 22, 2014
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official Results Report - Statewide," accessed March 19, 2025
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "Sen. Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, elected Iowa Senate Minority Whip," January 7, 2014
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "Jack Whitver replaces Bill Dix as Iowa Senate majority leader," March 14, 2018
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "Fresh off a resounding election night victory, Iowa GOP lawmakers select their leadership," November 12, 2024
- ↑ Whitver's campaign website, "Meet Jack," accessed March 28, 2025
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Iowa Legislature, "Jack Whitver - All Years," accessed May 16, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Jack Whitver," accessed May 16, 2023
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official primary election candidate list," accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official general election results," accessed December 1, 2014
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "Republican Jack Whitver wins Iowa Senate seat," January 19, 2011
- ↑ Iowa Independent, "Bachmann gets nod from fourth Iowa Senator," August 14, 2011
- ↑ CNN, "He's in: Marco Rubio's presidential challenge," April 13, 2015
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 The Iowa Republican, "State Senator Jack Whitver to Chair Rubio's Iowa Campaign," May 4, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The New York Times, "Marco Rubio Suspends His Presidential Campaign," March 15, 2016
- ↑ ACLU Iowa, "Legislative Report & Civil Liberties Scorecard," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ ACLU of Iowa, "Legislative Report & Civil Liberties Scorecard," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ StateScape, "Session schedules," accessed August 2, 2014
- ↑ ACLU of Iowa, "Civil Liberties report card," accessed July 11, 2017
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Iowa State Senate District 23 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Iowa State Senate District 19 2011-2023 |
Succeeded by - |
