Jack Whitver

Jack Whitver
Majority Leader of the Iowa Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 14, 2018
Preceded byBill Dix
President of the Iowa Senate
In office
January 9, 2017 – March 15, 2018
Preceded byPam Jochum
Succeeded byCharles Schneider
Member of the Iowa Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 24, 2011[1]
Preceded byLarry Noble
ConstituencyDistrict 23 (2023–present)
District 19 (2013–2023)
District 35 (2011–2013)
Personal details
Born
Jack Andrew Whitver[2]

(1980-09-04) September 4, 1980
Knoxville, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Rachel Anne Lea
​
(m. 2007)​
[2]
Children3
EducationIowa State University (BS, MBA)
Drake University (JD)

Jack Andrew Whitver[2] (born September 4, 1980) is an American businessman and politician, who is currently the Iowa State Senator for the 23rd District. Since 2018 he has served as Senate Majority Leader.

Early life

Whitver was born in Knoxville in 1980.[1]

He graduated from Grinnell Highschool in 1999.[3] He attended Iowa State University and received his BS in exercise science in 2003 and his Masters in 2003.[1] He played college football for Iowa State, starting at wide receiver.[4] He attended Drake Law School for his Juris Doctor starting in 2009 and graduating in 2012.[1] In 2010, he was named to the Drake Law Review.[1]

Business career

Whitver campaigning for Marco Rubio in 2016

Whitver founded Acceleration Iowa in 2004, in Urbandale, with business partner Geoff Jensen.[1][5][6] They added new locations in 2007, in Waukee,[6] and 2013, in Ankeny.[7] Acceleration Iowa is a sports training business, which develops speed, quickness and overall athletic ability for young athletes.[5]

In 2012, Whitver bought CrossFit Des Moines and CrossFit Waukee and opened North Ankeny CrossFit.[3][8]

Whitver was an assistant coach (wide receivers and offensive coordinator) for the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League from 2008 to 2011.[1]

Whitver is also an attorney with the Des Moines law firm Whitaker Hagenow & Gustoff starting in 2013.[3][8]

Political career

Whitver ran in the 2011 Special Election for District 35 due to Larry Noble resigning to become the Commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety. He ran against John Calhoun and was elected to the Iowa State Senate on January 18, 2011.[9] District 35 covered Ankeny, Johnston, Grimes, Polk City and the entire northern part of Polk County.

Whitver was sworn into the Iowa Senate on January 24, 2011, and was named to the Judiciary, Economic Growth and Human Resource committees.[10]

After the redistricting of 2012, Whitver began representing District 19 in the State Senate, which covered Ankeny, Alleman, Saylor Township, and a small part of Des Moines.

In 2013 Whitver was named Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee as well as serving on the Economic Growth, Ethics, Human Resource, Judiciary and State Government committees.[11]

In 2014, he ran against Brett H. Nelson, another Republican, in both the primary and general election. He beat Nelson both times and was re-elected to his second term.[12][13]

In 2015, Whitver became the Minority Whip[14] and was named member of the Government Oversight, Judiciary, Labor and Business Relations, Rules and Administration and State Government committees.[15]

On January 9, 2017, Senator Bill Dix nominated Whitver to be President of the Senate.[16] He was elected unanimously and sworn in by Iowa Chief Justice Mark S. Cady.[16] He was named as Vice Chair of the Rules and Administration Committee.[17]

In 2018, he ran against Brett H. Nelson, again, in the primary and won.[18] He ran against Amber Gustafson and was re-elected to his third term.[19] He was named as Vice Chair of the Rules and Administration Committee and as a member of the Appropriations Committee.[20] He served until March 15, 2018 as President of the Senate and then became the Majority Leader.[21][22]

On January 19, 2019, his children recited the Pledge of Allegiance to start the session.[23] He was named as Chair of the Rules and Administration Committee.[24][25]

After redistricting in 2022, Whitver ran to represent District 23. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary, winning 3,629 votes.[26] He then ran against Matt Pries and won his fourth term.[27]

He is currently, as of August 2025, the Majority Leader of the Senate and Chair of the Rules and Administration Committee.[28]

Personal life

He married to Rachel Anne Lea in May 2007,[2] and they have three children.[1] They attend Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines.[1] They resided in Ankeny until 2023 when they moved to Grimes.[1]

In May 2024, Whitver announced that he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, a month prior, and is responding well to radiation treatment.[29] He also plans on remaining as the Majority Leader.[29]

Electoral history

2011 Iowa 35th District Senate Special Election Results[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jack Whitver 4,773 63.47%
Democratic Party (United States) John Calhoun 2,739 36.42%
Under Votes and Scattering 8 0.2%
Turnout 7,520 100%
2014 Iowa 19th District Senate Primary Election Results[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jack Whitver 2,362 63.32%
Republican Party (United States) Brett H. Nelson 635 17.02%
Under Votes and Scattering 733 19.65%
Turnout 3,730 100%
2014 Iowa 19th District Senate General Election Results[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jack Whitver 16,742 62.46%
Repubican Party (United States) Brett H. Nelson 3,802 14.18%
Under Votes and Scattering 6,260 23.35%
Turnout 26,804 100%
2018 Iowa 19th District Senate Primary Election Results[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jack Whitver 1,369 75.21%
Republican Party (United States) Brett H. Nelson 326 17.91%
Under Votes and Scattering 125 6.86%
Turnout 1,820 100%
2018 Iowa 19th District Senate General Election Results[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jack Whitver 18,598 50.24%
Democratic Party (United States) Amber Gustafson 17,608 47.56%
Under Votes and Scattering 812 2.19%
Turnout 37,018 100%
2022 Iowa 23rd District Senate Primary Election Results[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jack Whitver 3,629 84.03%
Write-in and Under votes 690 15.97%
Turnout 4,319 100%
2022 Iowa 23rd District Senate General Election Results[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jack Whitver 17,276 56.99%
Democratic Party (United States) Matt Pries 12,159 40.13%
Write-in, Under and Over votes 874 2.88%
Turnout 30,309 100%

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Jack Whitver". Iowa State Legislature. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Marriages". Des Moines Register. May 7, 2007. p. 16. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Jack Whitver". Des Moines Register. May 19, 2014. p. A4. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  4. ^ "NCAA College Football". ESPN. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Urbandale training center puts athletes on the cutting edge". August 15, 2004. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Acceleration Iowa". Des Moines Register. April 29, 2008. p. 171. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  7. ^ "Ribbon Cuttings". Ankeny Press Citizen. February 12, 2013. p. RB11. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Senate District 19- Jack Whitver". Des Moines Register. June 4, 2014. p. A13. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "2011 Special Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. January 18, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  10. ^ "Journal of the Senate, January 24, 2011" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 24, 2011. p. 3,13. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  11. ^ "Journal of the Senate, January 16, 2013" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 16, 2013. p. 19. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "2014 Primary Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  13. ^ a b "2014 General Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  14. ^ "Journal of the Senate, 2015" (PDF). Iowa Senate. p. 5. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  15. ^ "Journal of the Senate, January 12, 2015" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 12, 2015. p. 40. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  16. ^ a b "Journal of the Senate, January 9, 2017" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 9, 2017. p. 24. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  17. ^ "Journal of the Senate, January 24, 2017" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 24, 2017. p. 4. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  18. ^ a b "2018 Primary Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  19. ^ a b "2018 General Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  20. ^ "Journal of the Senate, January 8, 2018" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 8, 2018. p. 53. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  21. ^ "Journal of the Senate, March 15, 2018" (PDF). Iowa Senate. March 15, 2018. p. 2. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  22. ^ "Journal of the Senate, January 14, 2019" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 14, 2019. p. 10. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  23. ^ "Journal of the Senate, January 14, 2019" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 14, 2019. p. 2. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  24. ^ "Journal of the Senate, January 14, 2019" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 14, 2019. p. 68. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  25. ^ "Journal of the Senate, January 11, 2021" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 11, 2021. p. 54. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  26. ^ a b "2022 Primary Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  27. ^ a b "2022 General Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  28. ^ "Journal of the Senate, January 13, 2025" (PDF). Iowa Senate. January 13, 2025. p. 52. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  29. ^ a b "Whitver treated for brain tumor". Des Moines Register. May 18, 2024. p. A1. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
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