Jack Whitver

Jack Andrew Whitver

Early life

Whitver was born in Knoxville in 1980.

He graduated from Grinnell Highschool in 1999. He attended Drake Law School for his Juris Doctor starting in 2009 and graduating in 2012. They added new locations in 2007, in Waukee, Acceleration Iowa is a sports training business, which develops speed, quickness and overall athletic ability for young athletes.

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.

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.

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. and was named member of the Government Oversight, Judiciary, Labor and Business Relations, Rules and Administration and State Government committees.

On January 9, 2017, Senator Bill Dix nominated Whitver to be President of the Senate. He was elected unanimously and sworn in by Iowa Chief Justice Mark S. Cady.

In 2018, he ran against Brett H. Nelson, again, in the primary and won. He served until March 15, 2018, as President of the Senate and then became the Majority Leader.

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

After redistricting in 2022, Whitver ran to represent District 23. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary, winning 3,629 votes. On September 24, 2025, he stepped down when Senator Mike Klimesh was elected leader. and they have three children.

Electoral history