2019
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Joni Ernst Defends Donald Trump’s Mental State
Just hours after President Donald Trump committed an impeachable offense on the White House lawn by encouraging Ukraine and China to investigate a top political rival, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst defended the President’s mental health. “I think I would probably be upset if someone was constantly on me like that, too,” Ernst said when asked…
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Joni Ernst Again Won’t Link Iowa Disasters To Climate Change
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst said Thursday she couldn’t link Iowa’s heavy, continued flooding this year with climate change. During a town hall in Carroll County, Ernst was asked by a voter to make the connection between the heavy spring rains and the record flooding and “carbon in the atmosphere and global environment change.” Both sides…
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No Shortcuts: Kimberly Graham Takes Senate Campaign Across Iowa
While most candidates were consumed with end-of-quarter fundraising in September, U.S. Senate candidate Kimberly Graham volunteered her time to help a young asylum seeker prepare for his immigration hearing. Graham, a children’s rights attorney from Indianola, spent five days in Brownsville, Texas, working with migrants to craft applications for asylum. She observed first-hand the hundreds…
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Latina Candidates Step Up In Local Des Moines Elections
Des Moines is a great place to live; it’s growing fast, it’s diverse and rapidly getting the attention of young Latinx candidates running for office. With local elections slated for Nov. 5, we interviewed two Latinas running for seats on the Des Moines City Council: Marlu Abarca and Chelsea Chism-Vargas. Marlu Abarca, At-Large Marlu Abarca…
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Ep120: Q3 Fundraising, IA-02 Updates, Spirit Awards Interview
Pat Rynard sits down with Libby Meyer to talk about fundraising numbers for Democratic presidential hopefuls at the end of the third quarter and Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ entry into the Republican Primary for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. Nate Monson also joins to talk about Iowa Safe Schools’ upcoming event, the Spirit Awards Dinner, taking place this…
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What Steve Bullock’s Decision To Take Public Financing Means
This election cycle, many candidates have pledged to not rely on political action committees. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, who talks often about ridding the system of dark money, has decided to add another layer of transparency to his campaign by accepting public financing. “Taking public financing, I think, really is rooted in those shared values…
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Separate Guns And Mental Health Debate, Patrick Kennedy Urges
Patrick Kennedy knows a thing or two about the effects gun violence has on a family. He also knows about mental health and addiction disorders. Patrick, the youngest son of Ted Kennedy, is open about his past use of OxyContin, alcohol and cocaine. He sought rehabilitation for drug use the day after he crashed his…
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Want To Track Voting Rights Laws? There’s A Website For That
With so many attacks on basic voting rights being pushed by Republican lawmakers around the country, it can be tough to keep up with where the state laws — even those in your own state — currently stand. To confront that, Let America Vote, a nonprofit political organization with the goal of strengthening voting rights,…
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Amid Impeachment, Cindy Axne Focuses On Health Care Policy
Congresswoman Cindy Axne told constituents Tuesday the United States had hit a “crisis point” in its health care system. “Suffice it to say, you’ve got a group of people in Congress who truly understand we’re at a crisis point,” said Axne, Iowa’s 3rd District representative, at a roundtable health care discussion in Des Moines. “Whether…
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Klobuchar Up With New TV Ad, Plans 50th County Visit In Iowa
In her first TV ad of the presidential primary, Amy Klobuchar is pitching herself to Iowa caucus-goers as the candidate who can best appeal to all parts of the country. “If you feel stuck in the middle of the extremes in our politics and you are tired of the noise and the nonsense, you’ve got…
