State Sen. Mike Bousselot, an Ankeny Republican, announced Friday he is ending his campaign for reelection in Senate District 23 as he “pursues a private-sector professional opportunity.”
The Republican Party has until Aug. 19 to nominate another candidate for the 2026 general election ballot. Tony Thompson of Elkhart is the Democratic nominee for the seat. Bousselot will serve until the end of the year when his term ends.
“This is not a decision I make lightly,” Bousselot said in a statement. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Iowa and humbled by the confidence voters placed in me. It has been a privilege to represent my constituents and participate in the work of the Iowa Legislature.”
Bousselot did not specify the professional opportunity but said in his release he had intended to pursue it while continuing to serve in the Iowa Senate. “It was only recently that he learned the requirements associated with the role would not allow him to do both. The position is entirely outside of politics and does not involve lobbying or advocacy before the Iowa Legislature,” the press release stated.
Bousselot, 43, was first elected to the Iowa House in a September 2021 special election and then served in the Senate beginning in 2023. He previously served as an adviser to Gov. Terry Branstad, including a stint as chief of staff from 2015 to 2017, and then served in Gov. Kim Reynolds’ administration as director of the Department of Management.
In April 2025, he launched an “exploratory” campaign for governor, but withdrew from the race in November.
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