Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, spoke on the Iowa House floor Jan. 30, 2025, in support of a bill implementing a moratorium on new casinos in Iowa. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, was officially elected Iowa House majority leader on Monday, taking over the position from Rep. Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley.
Iowa House Republicans elected Kaufmann to lead the caucus through the remainder of the 91st General Assembly. Though the announcement makes the leadership change official, the news was expected as President Donald Trump referred to Kaufmann as “majority leader-elect” during his July 3 speech at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, more than a month in advance of the actual vote.
Kaufmann, the son of Iowa Republican Party chair Jeff Kaufmann, began serving in the Iowa House in 2013. He has held multiple leadership roles as chairs of the House State Government and Government Oversight committees, and most recently has served as the Ways and Means Committee chair since 2022. Outside of the Legislature, he served as a senior advisor for Trump’s 2024 Iowa caucus campaign.
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House Speaker Pat Grassley said in a statement Monday he is looking forward to working with Kaufmann “to advance our caucus’s shared vision for Iowa.”
“I’ve served in the Iowa House with Representative Kaufmann for many years now and have seen him grow into a leader for our caucus,” Grassley said. “I have seen many examples of how his bold leadership style has brought the caucus together toward meaningful legislation to move our state forward.”
Since 2019, the House GOP leadership was led by Grassley as speaker and Windschitl as majority leader. But Windschitl is stepping down from legislative leadership role as the Missouri Valley veteran seeks election to the U.S. House. In July, Windschitl announced his run for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District. The seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, who launched an “exploratory” committee running for Iowa governor following Gov. Kim Reynolds’ decision to not seek reelection.
As he takes over Windschitl’s position as majority leader, Kaufmann said he will work through the position on issues that matter to Iowans.
“I am honored by the trust placed in me by my colleagues to serve as Majority Leader,” Kaufmann said in a statement. “This is a role I will not take lightly. I am committed to uniting our caucus to advance policies that strengthen our economy, support our families, and ensure our children will have bright futures. I look forward to working with Speaker Grassley to address the challenges and opportunities facing Iowa with bold, practical solutions.”
Iowa House Democratic Leader Brian Meyer, who took over as the minority party leader from Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, D-Des Moines, as she runs for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, congratulated Kaufmann’s election in a Monday statement.
“I have served alongside Representative Kaufmann for many years, and I trust he will ensure every voice, including those across the aisle, is heard,” Meyer said. “I look forward to a respectful and constructive working relationship with the new Majority Leader. Iowa faces critical issues, like property tax reform, public education funding, and economic struggles, and these challenges demand bipartisan solutions. It is my sincere hope that the Iowa House can rise above partisan divisions and deliver meaningful results for all Iowans.”
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