““Trump won Iowa by 13 points in 2024, and the state has not elected a Democratic senator since 2008.” — CNN analysis by Arlette Saenz and David Wright, Nov. 2, 2026”
The claim: ““Trump won Iowa by 13 points in 2024, and the state has not elected a Democratic senator since 2008.” — CNN analysis by Arlette Saenz and David Wright, Nov. 2, 2026”
Why we rated it this way: The Senate's Iowa roster shows Democrat Tom Harkin holding the Class 2 seat from 1985 until Jan. 3, 2015, so his final six-year term was the one he won in 2008. Republican Joni Ernst has held that seat since 2015, and Republican Chuck Grassley has held Iowa's other seat since 1981. No Democrat has started a Senate term from Iowa since Harkin's 2009 term, which matches CNN.
See the evidenceWhat would change our rating: A Senate record showing a Democrat elected to represent Iowa after 2008 would move this to Contradicted.
Our read
The Senate's Iowa roster shows Democrat Tom Harkin holding the Class 2 seat from 1985 until Jan. 3, 2015, so his final six-year term was the one he won in 2008. Republican Joni Ernst has held that seat since 2015, and Republican Chuck Grassley has held Iowa's other seat since 1981. No Democrat has started a Senate term from Iowa since Harkin's 2009 term, which matches CNN.
Broadcast
Picture to come
Nov 3, 2026, 6:50 AM CST
Sources
Script
Narration script. If a face or a voice delivers this, the anchor is synthetic.
Morning Check. CNN says Iowa hasn't elected a Democratic senator since 2008. The Senate's own roster shows Tom Harkin's last term ran through 2015, and only Republicans have held Iowa's seats since. Verdict: matches the record.
Corrections
None on file.