After the shellacking Democrats took in the 2010 and 2014 elections, one phrase is on the lips of many Iowa Caucus activists: "party building." How would their nominee strengthen the party infrastructure? How committed would they be to help down-ballot Democrats?...
Democratic candidates have brought up climate change often in their Iowa Caucus pitches the past few months, but this week saw the issue front and center with new proposals and visits by candidates and issue groups. Martin O'Malley introduced a climate and clean...
Nearly a month after Governor Terry Branstad issued his controversial vetoes, the reviews are in and they're unanimous: Iowans are pissed off. The vetoes that eliminated $56 million for K-12 education, effectively closed two mental health facilities, and wiped out...
Do you enjoy Starting Line? Of course you do! So help us keep this site sustainable by donating to us to help cover costs and keep us running. As you can tell, Starting Line has been a labor of love for me. No other job I've worked on has been as fun or has made me...
Philanthropist Donald Trump was in Iowa last Saturday, where he gave prepared remarks about America’s post-colonial experience in Southeast Asia, with specific emphasis on the role of naval forces and the impact of a particular soldier’s five year interaction with...
Three retired generals, including Wesley Clark, visited Des Moines on Wednesday to make the case for the Renewable Fuel Standard, linking its success to America's national security. On a trip through Iowa as part of the Vote Vets campaign, the three laid out the...
For Iowa Democrats still coming down from the exciting high of the Hall of Fame Dinner in Cedar Rapids this Friday, good news: you've got two more fun events to go to in August. Coming up on August 14th will be the Wing Ding Dinner in Clear Lake. Then two weeks...
Back in December the Des Moines Register's chief political reporter, Jennifer Jacobs, released much talked-about lists of the 50 most wanted Iowa Republican and Democratic activists for the Iowa Caucus. They were good lists, even if people passionately debated over...
"We need to campaign among Hispanic, black, Asian, and gay Americans and demonstrate we care about them, too." That's what RNC Chair Reince Priebus said back in 2013 after the party's second-in-a-row presidential election defeat. They determined their standing...
Democrats got their first announced candidate for the 3rd District on Monday morning as Desmund Adams officially launched his campaign. Criticizing what he called the "Do-Nothing Congress," Adams offered up his own personal upbringing and his experience in the...
