WATCH: Dirty River Dreaming

Christina Bohannon is making her third bid to unseat US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, coming off a razor-thin 799-vote loss in 2024. In one of 2026’s most closely watched races, Bohannon believes her working-class roots and independent voice can finally break through.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith sits down with Christina Bohannon to discuss why 2026 will be different after outperforming other Democrats nationwide and winning 33,000 Trump voters in 2024.

Toss some bags about Iowa rolling back civil rights protections for trans Iowans… Trump heads to the Iowa fairgrounds… And officials debunk water safety rumors amid the ongoing nitrate crisis.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

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*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
01:00 – The 799-Vote Heartbreaker – 0.2% Loss Despite Trump District Win
02:30 – Miller-Meeks Enthusiasm Gap – Why Republicans Cross Over
04:00 – Miller-Meeks Voting Record – $4,400 Tariff Costs and Medicaid Cuts
05:30 – Bucking Party Establishment – Defeating 20-Year Incumbent by 34 Points
08:00 – “Pragmatic and Compassionate” – Miller-Meeks Medicaid Cut Justification
10:00 – Talk is Cheap Analysis – Miller-Meeks Pattern of Empty Gestures
12:30 – Why 2026 is Different – Building Momentum Over Multiple Cycles
13:30 – County-by-County Campaign – Keokuk to Scott County Tour

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