2016
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Monica Vernon and Jim Mowrer Outraise Incumbents Rod Blum and David Young
Iowa looks to play an important role in control over the U.S. House of Representatives this November. If 2016’s 1st Quarter fundraising reports are any indication, Republicans face some real problems in the Hawkeye State. Iowa’s two most-vulnerable incumbents, Republican first-termers Rod Blum and David Young put up smaller fundraising totals than some of their potential Democratic…
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From Face-Banking To A Jedi Bernie, Sanders’ Grassroots Develop New Organizing Tactics
Every presidential election cycle brings about new organizing tactics on the Democratic side. In 2004 Howard Dean ushered in the era of online grassroots donations. 2008 saw Barack Obama’s campaign develop and hone the neighborhood team leadership model used in so many campaigns now. 2016 may be remembered for the innovative social media organizing tactics…
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Progressive Group’s Provocative Ad Targets Grassley On SCOTUS
The progressive group Agenda Project Action Fund released a new ad this week targeting Senator Chuck Grassley over his refusal to hold a hearing for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. The group says they’re running it in Iowa, though didn’t mention specifics of the size of the ad buy. The ad is, uh… interesting (see…
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It’s Time For Democrats To Vote Republican (In Steve King’s Primary)
Democrats in Western Iowa are used to voting against Steve King. They’ve done it year in and year out, always to no avail. It’s become a bit of a ritual: each campaign cycle a Democrat announces his or her candidacy and all the activists get excited that maybe this year will be the one that…
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Trump’s Right On One Thing: The GOP Delegate Selection Is Awful
Each passing weekend Donald Trump’s chances of securing the Republican Party’s nomination slips further and further away. It’s on those Saturdays typically when party meetings convene to select individual people to serve as national delegates to Cleveland from the district and state level in many states. And Trump’s getting killed in that process. The Trump…
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Paul Pate Smears Voting Rights Case As Only About Rapists and Child Molesters
It was to be expected that most Republicans and conservatives would be opposed to the Iowa Supreme Court restoring many felons’ voting rights. As Secretary of State, Republican Paul Pate finds himself defending the current law. And on Saturday at the Republicans’ district conventions around the state, he made incendiary, flame-throwing speeches over why he’s opposed…
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Men Comprise 82% of Ted Cruz’s Delegate Haul From Iowa Districts
In the fight to stop Donald Trump from winning the Republican nomination, opponents often point to his awful polling numbers in a matchup against Hillary Clinton. Historically terrible numbers among female voters are driving Trump’s theoretical thrashing in the November election. So it was perhaps a bit odd to see such a male-heavy slate of…
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Trump Incompetence Lets Cruz Sweep Iowa’s 3rd District Delegates
Is it really that difficult to find three solid supporters for your candidate in an entire Congressional district? If you’re the Donald Trump campaign, the answer is yes. A clear contrast developed early between the Ted Cruz and Trump delegate operations at Iowa Republicans’ 3rd District convention in Creston on Saturday. Matt Schultz, a key…
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Iowa GOP’s 3rd District Platform Is Totally Bonkers, Especially On Gay Rights
What does a political party believe? That’s a tough question to answer, especially in the era of candidate- and personality-driven elections. Does who a party elects as their presidential nominee reflect their policy stances? What about a state party’s candidate for Governor or Senate? Or is it the collection of diverse individuals who vote for…
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Grassley’s Reelection Gets Downgraded From “Safe Republican”
The pressure continues to build on Chuck Grassley over the Supreme Court hearings, and national political analysts now see it as having an impact in his reelection bid. Grassley faces blowback both at home and nationally on his refusal to hold a hearing for nominee Merrick Garland. That led Larry Sabato to move Grassley’s…
