State Sen. Claire Celsi speaks at the Safe at School Sit-In at the Iowa Capitol on Aug. 11, 2021. (Screenshot of a livestream of the event)
Iowa Sen. Claire Celsi, D-West Des Moines, died Monday, according to a social media post from her daughter and statements from lawmakers.
Celsi, 59, entered hospice care Sept. 18 and was no longer seeking curative treatment, according to her family. She had been battling an undisclosed medical issue for several months. She returned to the 2025 legislative session following a surgery in April after having missed more than a month of votes. Further details about her medical condition have not been released.
Iowa Democratic leaders issued statements mourning Celsi’s passing Monday, thanking her for her service to the state. Celsi was first elected in 2018 to the state Senate and won reelection in 2022 representing Iowa Senate District 16. She served as a Senate Democratic assistant leader in 2024 and as ranking member of the Senate Government Oversight Committee in the 2025 session.
Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner said she admired Celsi’s “perseverance and determination to continue to serve her constituents and to be present at the Capitol” as she dealt with health challenges this year.
“I cannot begin to express how deeply saddened I am by the passing of our senate colleague and my good friend Claire Celsi,” Weiner said. “In her private and public life, Senator Celsi was a fearless advocate and truthteller for women, the elderly, and public education. Improving the quality of life for Iowans in nursing homes became her signature issue. Claire was an advocate for the vulnerable and voice for the voiceless, representing thousands of Iowans who felt forgotten by the political process. She often told me it was both her honor and her passion to serve in the Iowa Senate.”
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart issued a statement saying her thoughts are with Celsi’s family, friends and loved ones, saying she was a “fierce advocate” for worker protections, public education, water quality and mental health care in the Legislature.
House Minority Leader Brian Meyer also praised Celsi as “a tireless public servant who worked tirelessly for the people of her district and the state of Iowa.”
“As we mourn the loss of a dedicated leader, we also resolve to carry forward the causes she held dear,” Meyer said in a statement. “Our hearts and deepest sympathies are with her family, friends, and all whose lives she touched.”
Gov. Kim Reynolds is required to hold a special election to fill the vacancy in the Senate. It will be the sixth legislative special election in the state this year.
