The Winnebago County Republican Central Committee voted unanimously to approve a resolution censuring Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh, accusing Senate Republican leadership of retaliating against fellow GOP senators who supported eminent domain reform and engaged in intra-party political organizing.
The resolution cites House File 639, passed during the 2025 legislative session, describing the law as a step to protect Iowa landowners by limiting the use of eminent domain for private hazardous liquid pipeline projects. The committee framed the issue as a bedrock Republican matter — private property rights and limits on government power.
“Carrying the name ‘Republican’ requires fealty to core Republican principles and ideals,” the resolution states, arguing that lawmakers must be free to vote their convictions and that party activists must be free to support primary challengers without fear of leadership reprisals.
At the center of the censure is a list of committee changes for the 2026 session the committee characterizes as “punitive,” naming not only Klimesh but also Senate President Amy Sinclair and Senate President Pro Tempore Ken Rozenboom as leaders responsible for the decisions.
The resolution alleges the following actions were taken against senators tied to the HF 639 fight or to endorsements of primary challengers:
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Sen. Doug Campbell — stripped of all committee assignments
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Sen. Mark Lofgren — removed from Appropriations, Workforce, and the Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee (including loss of chairmanship)
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Sen. Kevin Alons — removed from Agriculture, State Government, and Workforce; lost vice chairmanship of Technology; reassigned from State Government to Local Government; gained Transportation
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Sen. Dave Sires — removed from the main Appropriations Committee, retaining only a seat on the Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee
The committee argued these moves “undermine collegiality, suppress principled dissent, prioritize factional control over open debate and erode trust within the Republican Caucus.”
The resolution formally censures Klimesh and calls for Senate GOP leadership to “immediately restore the affected senators to committee roles commensurate with their prior assignments.” It also urges leadership to prioritize “meaningful eminent domain reform legislation” in the 2026 session, positioning the property rights issue as unfinished business.
In addition, the committee directed that copies of the resolution be transmitted to Klimesh and members of the Senate Republican caucus, Gov. Kim Reynolds and media outlets.
The Winnebago County vote marks another escalation in the intra-party dispute that has divided Iowa Republicans since the pipeline eminent domain debate. The resolution’s tone reflects growing frustration among grassroots activists who argue that caucus leadership has sought to punish legislators for defying leadership priorities — particularly on property rights and pipeline policy.
By adopting the censure unanimously, the county committee signaled it intends to keep the issue in front of Republican voters — and not solely inside the Capitol.
