In a surprising twist, Democrat Mike Zimmer has seemingly flipped a traditionally conservative Iowa State Senate seat, giving his party a much-needed morale boost amid ongoing challenges. Although Republicans still dominate Iowa’s legislature, this win in a red-leaning district has caught attention.

Zimmer, an educator, focused his campaign on supporting public schools in his eastern Iowa district, which includes the city of Clinton and runs along the Mississippi River. His message clearly resonated, as unofficial results show him leading Republican opponent Katie Whittington by about 4 percentage points—or nearly 340 votes. Election officials confirmed that the remaining uncounted ballots are too few to change the outcome.

This seat became vacant last month when Republican Chris Cournoyer, who previously won the district by a large margin, was appointed lieutenant governor by Iowa’s governor, Kim Reynolds. Zimmer’s victory is particularly notable given the area’s strong Republican lean and the fact that it voted heavily for former President Trump.

Special elections often produce unexpected results due to low voter turnout, which tends to favor highly motivated voters. Similar surprises have happened before, like when a Democrat won a Wisconsin State Senate seat early in Trump’s first term, only to lose it later in the regular election cycle.

Democrats across the country are celebrating Zimmer’s win as a small but meaningful step forward. Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, called it a warning to Republicans. This victory follows other Democratic successes in special elections this month, including two key wins in Virginia and a Minnesota race that restored the party’s majority in the state Senate.

Despite the win, Democrats still face an uphill battle in Iowa, where Republicans hold significant control over the legislature and statewide offices. However, Zimmer’s unexpected triumph offers a glimmer of hope for a party working to rebuild after recent setbacks.