2018
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Iowa House Democrats Strike First With TV Ads In Key Races
Several Iowa House Democratic candidates are up on TV this week, beating their Republican opponents to the punch in a reversal from the 2016 election. Four challenger candidates and one incumbent began airing ads on Tuesday on both broadcast and cable. More are expected to go up on TV soon. Senate Republicans also unveiled their…
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Poll Shows Trump’s Trade War May Sink His Closest Iowa Ally
When Donald Trump visited Iowa in July this year, he tossed “Make Farmers Great Again” hats into a crowd outside Dubuque and thanked Congressman Rod Blum for support of his agenda. Blum responded by praising Trump’s handling of the trade wars and tariffs. “Thank you for having political courage to renegotiate these trade deals,” Blum told…
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Apparently, Legal Deadlines Don’t Apply To Everyone
Some of the most stressful memories I have of my school days involve the words, “We’re going to have a pop quiz today.” Don’t panic, but there’s a pop quiz today. Here goes: CASE STUDY 1: The Iowa Code says all nomination papers for the primary election for state and federal offices must be submitted to…
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Ep58: Reynolds Scandals, Campaign Union & Tim Ryan Interview
Iowa Starting Line Podcast host Pat Rynard discusses with labor rights attorney Nate Willems the latest Kim Reynolds private jet scandal and the recent unionization of some Iowa Democratic Party campaign staffers. And we interview Congressman Tim Ryan about his visit to Iowa, what his national plans are and whether he thinks the Democratic Party has learned anything…
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Will Joni Ernst Side With Another Alleged Sexual Abuser?
While in Washington, D.C. on Monday, Senator Joni Ernst was questioned whether she believed that someone who committed sexual assault should be disqualified from serving on the Supreme Court. “Sexual assault is if they can prove it, absolutely,” Ernst responded. We asked @SenJoniErnst if sexual assault allegations are disqualifying for a Supreme Court nominee. She…
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Why Can’t Kim Reynolds Just Admit Privatization Was A Failure?
Any reasonable person would likely look at the continuing Medicaid privatization scandal and question why Governor Kim Reynolds has refused to admit failure. Iowa’s Medicaid program has been in crisis ever since it began in 2016, and every indication suggests it is worsening. Each week brings another new story of clients whose care is being…
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The Best Choice In This Election Will Give Iowans A Raise
With the exception of the agricultural sector, Iowa’s economy is doing very well as evidenced by an extremely low unemployment rate of 2.6%. The stock market is booming due to increasing corporate profits, yet Iowa employees’ wages and salaries are stagnant. Factoring in inflation, Iowans are seeing their net wage increases consumed. Iowans at the…
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Ep57: IA-Gov Poll Results & Vicky Brenner Interview
Iowa Starting Line Podcast host Pat Rynard interviews Spencer Kimball of Emerson Polling about the new poll in the governor’s race and what all the numbers might mean. We also talk with Vicky Brenner, Democratic candidate for Senate District 13.
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Iowa Taxpayers Taken For Expensive Ride On Godfrey Case
Most Iowans are pretty frugal. They don’t waste their money. They especially don’t like it when they believe government officials fritter away our tax money. That’s why I think many people in Iowa are not familiar with the case of Chris Godfrey. Otherwise, if they were truly informed about what has occurred in the past…
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Legal Bribery? Reynolds’ Latest Ethics Issue Sets Bad Precedent
Perhaps Governor Kim Reynolds should just stay off planes. The AP’s Ryan Foley reported this afternoon that Reynolds had once again taken a questionable plane ride paid for by a donor that has business with the state of Iowa. Dave North, the CEO of Sedgwick, a company that is contracted by the state to handle…
