(Radio Iowa) – The northwest Iowa Democrat who won a special election for a seat in the Iowa Senate has been sworn into office. Catelin Drey is representing a district that includes areas of rural Woodbury County as well as Sioux City, where Drey lives. “There is something very humbling about taking the official oath in a moment when it feels like that has become increasingly difficult or increasingly controversial,” she said. “That oath is sacred and I look forward to doing the best that I can to uphold that.” There are now 17 Democrats serving in the Iowa Senate and it breaks the G-O-P’s 34-seat super majority.

Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner says it means Democrats have the ability to be part of the mix in developing legislation. “Way too often the last few sessions it was perhaps a Senate of 34. Now we’re a senate of 50. If they want to get people confirmed, if they want some other things, they will need to work with us, but that’s honestly the way it should work,” Weiner said. “That’s the way Iowans want it to work.” This is the second special election Senate Democrats have won this year. Drey, who won with about 55 percent of the vote, takes office less than a week after influential conservative Charlie Kirk was killed in Utah and two students were shot at a Colorado school by a 16-year-old that authorities say was radicalized by online content.

Drey says it’s a fraught time and she’s thinking about the safety of children in school as well as the safety of public officials. “I am optimistic that we have an awareness now that this type of rhetoric is dangerous,” Drey said, “and I’m also optimistic that we can find some solution to solve the gun violence crisis that is ongoing in this country.”

Drey will serve the remainder of Senator Rocky De Witt’s term. De Witt died of cancer in June.