WATCH: Pod Save America thinks Iowa can be saved

Congressman Zach Nunn was supposed to hold his first-ever public town hall in Jefferson, Iowa. Then he made it invitation-only at the last minute. This is the story of how your representatives are being ordered by their party to avoid the very people they were elected to serve.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker break down Nunn’s “taxpayer-funded protest events” comment and what it reveals about a system designed to keep voters out.

Toss some bags at Iowa losing research funding… why your congressman is skipping out on town halls… and the musical chairs of 2026 as Iowa’s biggest seats come open…

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. It’s produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 – Zach Nunn’s Last-Minute Town Hall Switcheroo Exposed
01:30 – “Taxpayer-Funded Protest Events”: The Shocking Quote
02:00 – Corporate Donor List: Who Really Has Nunn’s Ear
03:30 – Why Nunn Claims He Had 304 Public Events (But Didn’t)
05:00 – The $1,000 Entry Fee for “Public” Representatives
07:00 – When Did Protests Become “Wrong” Speech?
09:30 – Political Hygiene: Why Town Halls Matter More Than Careers
11:00 – Democrats Fight Back: “We Need Leaders Who Show Up”

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