2015

More than 20 Republican leaders in all addressed Steve King’s Freedom Summit on Saturday, speaking to a crowd composed of the most conservative voting bloc in American politics. It was mostly what we’ve come to expect from candidates trying to appeal to what they think the far-right Fox News crowd wants to hear. The more…

Republican leaders and consultants were probably letting out sighs of annoyance on Tuesday night upon seeing Iowa Representative Steve King’s newest offensive comment pop up on their Twitter feed. “#Obama perverts “prosecutorial discretion” by inviting a deportable to sit in place of honor at #SOTU w/1st Lady. I should sit with Alito,” read his tweet.…

Governor Terry Branstad and others described a new pro-ethanol campaign group as an educational opportunity for presidential candidates, though the real message was clear: if you want to do well in the Iowa Caucus, you should support the Renewable Fuel Standard. America’s Renewable Future, a large bipartisan coalition, announced at the State Capitol today a…

Starting Line will offer a series of Iowa Travel Guides to all of Iowa’s main cities throughout the course of the year for visiting journalists and campaign staff to use on their trips. Let’s start out with the Capitol City. Des Moines has undergone a cultural renaissance in the past ten years. The downtown and…

Throughout the caucus season, Iowa Starting Line will check in on the Republican presidential candidates’ standing in the race. With the Republicans we will focus on who has the most excitement and buzz right now among Iowa caucus-goers.

The midterms before the Iowa Caucus provide an excellent opportunity for potential presidential candidates to visit the First in the Nation state. Early trips to Iowa can connect candidates with grass-top activists, pique interest in local and national media, and build up political favors that can be cashed in on later. 2014 was no different.…

Is the GOP Grooming Joni Ernst for the VP Nomination? Later tonight, recently sworn-in Senator Joni Ernst will grace television screens and live-streams nation-wide as she gives the official Republican rebuttal to President Obama’s State of the Union. It’s a heady task for the freshman Senator. And one that has some wondering about whether Republicans…

On an unseasonably warm Saturday that felt like a spring thaw, top Democratic activists from around the state looked to shake off the cold reality of their 2014 losses and chart a new course forward to victory. The party’s state central committee met in Des Moines to choose a new state chair out of a…

Less than three months after Rod Blum’s election to Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, Democrats are lining up to get another crack at the Democratic-leaning seat. Cedar Rapids businesswoman Monica Vernon announced her second bid on Thursday. Vernon enters the race in a much stronger position than she did last time, when she was a little-known…

Welcome to the brand new Iowa political news site, Iowa Starting Line!  I (Pat Rynard) am very happy you’re here and I hope you’ll join us on a daily basis to find news on the Iowa Caucus and Iowa politics. What will you find here? Iowa is about to take center stage as the Republican…