Iowa State Senate District 49

Tue, Nov 3 · Represented by Cindy Winckler Democratic · Member list as of Oct 28

Cynthia MensendickRepublican

No published poll names both candidates.Last result · 2022 general: Cindy Winckler (D) 93.3

Cindy WincklerDemocratic · Incumbent4 years since first win

Last election: Cindy Winckler (Democratic) was unopposed, 2022
On the 2026 ballot: 2 candidates

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Side by side

Left column: MensendickRight column: Winckler

Donor-based spectrum: LiberalCentristConservativeWincklerNo published score for Mensendick
Races: None listed; Won 12 of 12
Years since first win: Not available; 4

How these are counted

The spectrum is a published research score, not our rating. How this works. Wins and losses count the races in our results files, the same as each profile.

More about this race

Candidates on the ballot

Cindy WincklerIncumbentDemocratic
Cynthia MensendickRepublican

Source: sos.iowa.gov (PDF), dated Aug 19

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Official results for Iowa

History (18 elections for this seat)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 2022, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticCindy WincklerWon	Democratic	12,06293.3%	93.3%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	8666.7%	6.7%

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 2018, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanChris CournoyerWon	Republican	13,30554.9%	54.9%
DemocraticPatti Robinson	Democratic	10,91645.1%	45.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 22,518
Election day: November 4, 2014
District map: Older district map (2012 to 2021)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 2014, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticRita HartWon(incumbent)	Democratic	11,69051.9%	51.9%
RepublicanBrian Schmidt	Republican	10,80848.0%	48.0%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	200.1%	0.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 31,720
Election day: November 6, 2012
Type: Special election
District map: Older district map (2012 to 2021)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 2012, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticRita HartWon	Democratic	17,30554.6%	54.6%
RepublicanAndrew Naeve	Republican	14,39845.4%	45.4%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	170.1%	0.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 20,320
Election day: November 2, 2010
District map: Older district map (2002 to 2011)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 2010, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanHubert HouserWon(incumbent)	Republican	15,01773.9%	73.9%
DemocraticScott Schondelmeyer	Democratic	5,28126.0%	26.0%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	220.1%	0.1%

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 2006, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanHubert HouserWon(incumbent)	Republican	14,373100.0%	100.0%

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 2002, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanHubert HouserWon	Republican	15,572100.0%	100.0%

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1998, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticMark S. ShearerWon	Democratic	10,04553.1%	53.1%
RepublicanRichard Garrels	Republican	8,88146.9%	46.9%

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1994, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticTom VilsackWon(incumbent)	Democratic	12,288100.0%	100.0%

Votes for listed candidates: 25,040
Election day: November 3, 1992
District map: Older district map (1992 to 2001)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1992, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticTom VilsackWon	Democratic	12,54450.1%	50.1%
RepublicanDave Heaton	Republican	10,55142.1%	42.1%
OtherDan Reed	Other	1,9457.8%	7.8%

Votes for listed candidates: 17,611
Election day: November 6, 1990
District map: Older district map (1982 to 1991)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1990, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanJack W. HesterWon(incumbent)	Republican	10,06257.1%	57.1%
DemocraticJohn J. Obrien	Democratic	7,54942.9%	42.9%

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1986, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanJack W. HesterWon(incumbent)	Republican	10,99199.9%	99.9%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	140.1%	0.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 18,444
Election day: November 2, 1982
District map: Older district map (1982 to 1991)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1982, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanJack W. HesterWon(incumbent)	Republican	10,09054.7%	54.7%
DemocraticDonald J. Sonntag	Democratic	8,35445.3%	45.3%

Votes for listed candidates: 15,071
Election day: November 7, 1978
District map: Older district map (1972 to 1981)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1978, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanCalvin O. HultmanWon(incumbent)	Republican	9,98366.2%	66.2%
DemocraticDavid Childs	Democratic	5,08733.8%	33.8%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	10.0%	0.0%

Votes for listed candidates: 17,124
Election day: November 4, 1974
District map: Older district map (1972 to 1981)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1974, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanCalvin O. HultmanWon(incumbent)	Republican	10,82963.2%	63.2%
DemocraticAmbrose Doyle	Democratic	6,29536.8%	36.8%

Votes for listed candidates: 21,315
Election day: November 7, 1972
District map: Older district map (1972 to 1981)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1972, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanCalvin O. HultmanWon	Republican	15,79274.1%	74.1%
DemocraticJennie Lee Bonnichsen	Democratic	5,52325.9%	25.9%

Votes for listed candidates: 15,763
Election day: November 3, 1970
District map: Older district map (1970 to 1971)

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1970, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticGene W. GlennWon(incumbent)	Democratic	8,77955.7%	55.7%
RepublicanRussell W. Harper	Republican	6,79243.1%	43.1%
OtherPhil Darner	Other	1921.2%	1.2%

Iowa Senate District 49, 1968 to 2022, 1968, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanLucas J. DekosterWon(incumbent)	Republican	14,211100.0%	100.0%

1968 to 2022: State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse), retrieved Oct 28, 2026. Compiled by Carl Klarner (Harvard Dataverse) from official returns; not an official source

Only part of this chamber is up in a given cycle. Which districts vote on which date is not on file. Last contest in this district on file: 2022.

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Election Wrld. (2026). Iowa State Senate District 49, election results 1968 to 2022. https://www.electionwrld.com/ia/senate/49. Retrieved October 31, 2026.

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Sources

Sources: Census TIGERweb Legislative MapServer (120th CDs layer 0, 119th CDs layer 4, 2026 SLD upper layer 1 and lower layer 2) (US Census Bureau, public domain), retrieved Oct 28, 2026; Open Civic Data division identifiers (census_autogenerated us_sldl/us_sldu and openstates state files); also (sld-recent.json): Open Civic Data division identifiers (country-us) (CC0 (repository); also (sld-recent.json): CC0 1.0), retrieved Oct 28, 2026; Open States people (current) CSVs (CC0-1.0 (Open States people data)), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by Open States volunteers and staff (rosters from state legislature sites) from official returns, not an official source; State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse) (CC0 1.0), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by Carl Klarner (Harvard Dataverse) from official returns, not an official source.

District id: ocd-division/country:us/state:ia/sldu:49

DataState data (JSON)Sources: State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse), DIME (ODC-BY)Data as of Oct 28, 2026