2018
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Ep53: New Caucus Rules & Julian Castro Interview
Iowa Starting Line Podcast host Pat Rynard talks with former IDP executive director Norm Sterzenbach about the DNC’s changes to caucus states and superdelegates. And we sit down with Julian Castro to discuss his potential 2020 run and what he sees as key to Democrats’ success.
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Pro-Choice Leaders: Iowans Are The “Most Powerful People” In Kavanaugh Fight
Don’t believe the news and political analysis that Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court is a done deal, a panel of national pro-choice leaders and activists told Iowans this week. While Iowa’s own Senator Chuck Grassley has been trying to push forward hearings for President Donald Trump’s choice to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy…
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Reynolds’ Team Helped Man Wanting To Run On Mollie Tibbetts’ Murder, He Says
A man with a long history of bizarre, racist social media posts, including those which claimed Barack Obama was a secret Muslim, thanked Governor Kim Reynolds today for her team’s assistance in trying to get him on the ballot for Attorney General. [Update: Starting Line hears that while Republicans initially helped Anderson with signatures, around…
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A Looming 2020 Litmus Test: Lock Him Up?
If there’s one thing we’ve learned in national politics over the past several years, it’s that the issues we think will matter to voters are not always the ones that do come the election. Media firestorms can change the public attention’s at any moment, while new policy ideas can catch on fast. Medicare-for-all was hardly…
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A Look At How A Julian Castro Run Could Play Out In Iowa
For an initial Iowa visit to test the presidential waters, Julian Castro hit all the usual marks last week. The former Housing and Urban Development secretary spent his three days in the lead-off caucus state meeting activists, touring the State Fair and introducing his life story and overall vision for the country. But many of…
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Conservative Students Resign From Group After Tibbetts Family Harassment
Some Republican candidates and conservative organizations may continue their efforts to politicize Mollie Tibbetts’ death to advance their immigration views, but not without significant pushback. Some of it is even coming from fellow conservatives. The local University of Iowa chapter of Turning Point USA announced this morning that they had rejected an idea from the…
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Avenatti: Trump “Inflaming Racial Tensions,” Should Let Tibbetts Family Grieve
Michael Avenatti in Des Moines tonight warned against anyone in politics using the recent death of Mollie Tibbetts as a campaign issue, and he criticized President Donald Trump for a long history of inflaming racial tensions for political gain. “The family has asked that that not be politicized,” Avenatti said when asked by reporters about…
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How Iowa Priests Are Reacting To Catholic Church Abuse
At most services, Father P.J. McManus moves quickly through the announcements — typically covering such things as the coming Christ the King Church sweet corn festival, the signup for the fall retreat, or a new book study group that soon will begin. This past weekend, however, the announcements took a very different theme and tone.…
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Ep52: Rita Hart & Governor Steve Bullock
Iowa Starting Line Podcast host Pat Rynard interviews Senator Rita Hart about campaigning across Iowa as Fred Hubbell’s running mate. And we sit down with Montana Governor Steve Bullock to talk about how he won as a Democrat in a deep-red state.
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Get Ready For The Ugliest Iowa Election Ever
You may as well get used to the above image. You’ll be seeing it hundreds of thousands of times between now and November in countless Republican ads, both in Iowa and around the country. The disappearance of Mollie Tibbetts in Brooklyn, Iowa came to a sad and tragic end today when it was announced that…
