2019
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America Needs A Leader Who Can Bring Us Together
Guest post from State Representative Amy Nielsen of North Liberty on why she’s endorsing Cory Booker in the Iowa Caucus. This is the first state legislator endorsement in Iowa of the cycle. It’s been hard to watch the news over the last few years. It seems like every time the President speaks, it opens deeper…
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An Open Letter To The Senate President
Dear Senate President and my senator, Charles Schneider, I heard from a friend that an Americans For Prosperity (AFP) lobbyist was at the recent Waukee forum and shared something along these lines of their recent messaging: We believe that public assistance programs should be narrowly tailored to those who need them and for those who…
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Two German Policy Ideas For The 2020 Field
As of almost the end of February, it looks like over 30 Democrats are in the presidential race or are at least considering it. As the candidates put together their platforms, every one is in some fashion or another talking about health care, climate change, income inequality, and of course terrible management and crazy positions…
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Who’s Gearing Up To Challenge Joni Ernst?
Who’s brave enough to run against Joni Ernst? The first-term senator should be a top target for Democrats nationally, but she begins the 2020 cycle with an all-time high approval rating. The Des Moines Register found Ernst had a 57% job approval last week, a noticeable jump from the 43% to 51% rating she’s hovered…
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‘Pragmatic Idealist’ Michael Bennet Visits Iowa, Considers Presidential Run
Voters might find themselves Googling his name, or they may recognize him from a recent viral video of a blistering Senate floor speech against colleague Ted Cruz. Colorado’s Senator Michael Bennet dropped into Iowa this past weekend to meet with and listen to Iowa voters as he considers joining a crowded Democratic field. Stopping at…
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Would A Klobuchar Midwest Tide Lift All Iowa Down-Ballot Boats?
As Amy Klobuchar worked her way through Iowa this week as an official 2020 candidate, she pitched a message of Midwest electability to local Democrats who saw their own state go red in 2016. “To do all this, we need to win,” Klobuchar told the Ankeny Democrats on Thursday after listing out her policy priorities.…
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GOP’s 2020 Plan: Shout “Socialist!” At Democrats
Republicans are beginning their 2020 messaging early with campaign attacks that paint all Democrats as socialists. They plan to demonize Democrats as crazy leftists out to destroy America. They have focused on the Green New Deal (GND) resolution sponsored by Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ed Markey as evidence that all Democrats have suddenly gone socialist.…
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Rod Blum Is Still Running Ads In His Old District
Congressman Rod Blum was defeated in his reelection effort by Abby Finkenauer last November, but that hasn’t stopped the Republican from staying politically active. In fact, he’s still running advertising online. A quick review of the Facebook Ad Archive shows Blum continuing to pay for Facebook ads over the past two months. The “paid for”…
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Ep83: Viral Caucus Trail Moments & John Delaney Interview
The Iowa Starting Line Podcast host Pat Rynard is joined by State Representative Jennifer Konfrst to talk about how viral moments on the caucus trail affect news coverage. And we interview presidential candidate John Delaney about where he sees a path to victory for him in the Iowa Caucus.
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Mauro Launches New PAC To Send Ernst Packing In 2020
Senator Joni Ernst starts out her 2020 reelection effort in a strong position, garnering a 57% approval rating in a poll released by the Des Moines Register last night. She’s spent her first years in D.C. largely unscathed by major controversy or any sustained opposition criticism, but that mostly free ride will soon come to…
