2017
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Evans: You Won’t Beat Steve King With A Former Psychic
Two of my friends are polar opposites when it comes to politics. One is oh so liberal. Excuse me, oh so progressive. The other is conservative. Quite so. They don’t often agree on issues. On other topics, they are fine. Just not on politics. That’s the reason it was so unusual earlier this month when…
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Abby Finkenauer Launches Congressional Bid On Working Class Message
Drawing heavily on her life experiences growing up in a working-class family, Dubuque State Representative Abby Finkenauer officially entered the 1st Congressional District race today. She’s currently in her second term in the Iowa House, and at age 28, would become one of the youngest members of Congress is her candidacy is successful. Her campaign…
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Polk County Legislators Line Up Behind Josh Mandelbaum
Environmental attorney Josh Mandelbaum’s path to winning a Des Moines City Council seat got easier last month when Christine Hensley announced she was retiring. However, there’s now chatter about other potential candidates considering a run in the heavily-Democratic ward. Another Republican (or independent) may launch a bid, but it’s highly unlikely any would have the type…
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AG Miller Throws Wrench Into Branstad’s Departure Plans
You could call it The Revenge Of David Johnson. Ever since the Republican Senator from Northwest Iowa bolted the party over Donald Trump, his former party members have given him the cold shoulder in the Legislature. So it perhaps was not a coincidence that the person who requested Attorney General Tom Miller review whether Kim Reynolds…
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Will Nate Boulton’s Quick Rise Take Him To Governor’s Office?
Nate Boulton is not the type of candidate that Iowa Democrats have usually put up for statewide office over the past few cycles. He does not have a famous last name. He has served in public office for just four months. At 37, he is the youngest member of the Senate Democratic caucus. The “powers-that-be”…
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Rebuilding Iowa, One Democratic County Party At A Time: Woodbury
As Iowa Democrats strategize on ways to rebuild the state party, they can begin by focusing on strengthening their county party foundation. The Democratic county parties – especially in rural areas – are the building blocks that the state party is built upon. It’s the county parties that recruit the local volunteers, fundraise, execute “Get…
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Celebrate Iowa Immigrants At The May Day Rally
The Iowa immigrant community is under great stress from the Trump Administration’s conflicting and contradictory statements on deportation. It’s not at all clear who is subject to deportation and how deep Homeland Security will reach into the community. Will they just deport those that have committed serious crimes or simply those that are undocumented? The…
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Todd Prichard’s Plan For Universal Access To Community Colleges
The 2017 legislative session was a disaster for working Iowans. I have never seen an administration fight so hard for low-paying jobs. Iowa can and must do better, particularly for rural and smaller communities – like my hometown of Charles City – that too often have been left behind. The challenges in that “forgotten Iowa”…
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Climate Time Bomb Clock Running Out – March This Weekend
Time is running out in order to slow and reverse the warming of the earth. The catastrophic consequences associated with climate change are rapidly becoming more evident. It’s not too late but the world must act soon in order to prevent the worst of these environmental disasters. Scientists predict the globe will reach a tipping…
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Dirk Deam Passes On 4th District, Fred Hubbell Rumors Heat Up
Iowa State University professor Dirk Deam won’t be running for the Democratic nomination in Iowa’s 4th District this cycle. His now-ended campaign informed Starting Line that some new family health obligations will keep him from devoting the full time he felt he needed to run an all-in candidacy. Kim Weaver was already strongly favored to carry the…
