CLEAR LAKE — Iowa House District 60 voters will see a new general election matchup in November after Republican challenger Dani Ollenburg defeated longtime GOP incumbent Jane Bloomingdale in Tuesday’s primary.
Ollenburg, a Clear Lake Republican and political newcomer, defeated Bloomingdale, of Northwood, by a vote of 1,620 to 1,176 in the June 2, 2026, Republican primary. Ollenburg received 57.9% of the vote, while Bloomingdale received 42.1%.
Ollenburg will now face Democrat Alexander Schmidt of St. Ansgar in the November 3 general election. Schmidt was unopposed in the Democratic primary and received 1,142 votes.
House District 60 includes Clear Lake, the western third of Cerro Gordo County, all of Worth and Mitchell counties, and the northwestern corner of Floyd County, including Nora Springs.
The result marks a major political shift in the district. Bloomingdale has served in the Iowa House since 2017 and currently represents House District 60. She previously served as mayor of Northwood and has chaired the House State Government Committee.
Bloomingdale ran for re-election with years of legislative and local government experience, but Tuesday’s result showed Republican primary voters were ready to turn to a new candidate.
Ollenburg launched her campaign in February, presenting herself as a lifelong Iowan and Clear Lake resident running on limited government, accountability and traditional Iowa values.
Her campaign emphasized property rights, school choice, fiscal responsibility and pro-life policies. Ollenburg has said she wants to defend property owners from abuses of eminent domain, support families choosing public, private or homeschool options, and push for transparency and accountability in state government.
“Standing firm for Iowa families requires a representative who is beholden to the people, not special interests,” Ollenburg said in her campaign announcement.
Ollenburg’s background includes work as a licensed healthcare provider. In recent years, she has focused on raising and homeschooling her children. She lives in Clear Lake with her husband, Rex, and has said her work on political campaigns helped prepare her to run for office.
Schmidt gives Democrats a candidate in a district that has leaned Republican in recent elections. After Tuesday’s primary, Schmidt thanked Democratic voters for turning out despite his uncontested race.
“Although I was unopposed in this primary, it still means a great deal that you turned out and cast 1,142 ballots for a progressive millennial here in North Iowa,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt framed the November race as a choice between Democratic opposition and Republican control at the Statehouse.
“Thanks to each and every one of you, the extreme policies of the GOP will have a bulwark in November,” Schmidt said. “Thanks to your support, my campaign can now offer North Iowans an alternative to the regressive, alienating and dangerously cruel vision that is being offered by the party in power.”
Schmidt also called on voters to join his campaign heading into the general election.
“So, North Iowans: Will you join this movement to bring a leader with courage, charisma and compassion to the state capitol as your representative?” Schmidt said. “Join today and we can bring power back to the people.”
The November race will give District 60 voters a choice between Ollenburg, a Republican challenger who defeated an incumbent from within her own party, and Schmidt, a Democratic newcomer seeking to offer a progressive alternative in a Republican-leaning North Iowa district.
For Republicans, Ollenburg’s win is another sign of continued appetite among some GOP primary voters for grassroots conservative challengers. For Democrats, Schmidt’s candidacy provides a chance to contest a district where Republicans have held the seat in recent years.
The general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026.
