Zachary Oren Smith is your friendly neighborhood reporter. He leads Starting Line’s political coverage where he investigates corruption, housing affordability and the future of work. For nearly a decade, he’s written award-winning stories for Iowa Public Radio, The Des Moines Register and Iowa City Press-Citizen. Send your tips on hard news and good food to zach@iowastartingline.com.
Zachary Oren Smith
Latest from Zachary Oren Smith
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Anti-lobbyist candidate Joe Mitchell says he’s not a lobbyist. He just built a lobbying operation.
Joe Mitchell has built his congressional campaign around claims of being the one Republican who isn’t bought by lobbyists. For more than two years, he was the executive paying the lobbyists.
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Iowa Governor’s Office pay up 35% over decade as broader executive branch salaries decline, auditor finds
Salaries paid to Iowa’s executive branch employees fell 7.6% over the past decade when adjusted for inflation, according to a report released this week by State Auditor Rob Sand. However, the offices of Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Secretary of State Paul Pate have bucked that trend, posting increases where the rest of the state’s…
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Nunn, Miller-Meeks flip on Iran war vote. Hinson continues to back Trump’s war
Every time the House has voted this year on ending the Iran war, Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks voted no. Tuesday, seven weeks before Election Day, both changed course. Ashley Hinson, running for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat, still hasn’t.
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Zach Nunn’s fundraiser with Hegseth violated the law per watchdog complaint
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech at US Rep. Zach Nunn’s fundraiser ran afoul of ethics laws guiding the use of taxpayer money for political purposes, according to a recent complaint made by a nonpartisan group.
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Iowa farmers warn Save Our Bacon Act could lead to more farm consolidation
In 1998, hog prices collapsed and Chris Petersen lost the family farm. This week, he stood in a barn near Elkhart and said US Rep. Ashley Hinson’s “Save Our Bacon Act” could do it again to the Iowa farmers still standing.
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Internal poll shows Turek narrowly ahead of Hinson in Iowa Senate race
Josh Turek’s US Senate campaign got good news from a recent internal poll. It shows Turek leading Ashley Hinson.
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Joe Mitchell voted to grow a tax credit his companies later cashed in on
The Republican running for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District called this federal housing subsidy “a disaster.” Meanwhile, his own real estate companies collected $2.5 million from a similar state tax credit he voted to expand.
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Rob Sand unveils affordability plan targeting healthcare, housing, and energy costs
Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee for Iowa governor, released his plan to improve affordability, targeting healthcare, energy, education and housing costs that are pricing out Iowans across the state.
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Report: Hinson’s husband arranges meetings between Iowa delegation and insurance lobby
New reporting shows US Rep. Ashley Hinson’s husband has brokered meetings between insurance lobbyists and Iowa’s entire congressional delegation, including his wife.
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Trone Garriott announces plan to close loopholes in House’s stock trading ban
US Rep. Zach Nunn has already signed onto a congressional stock trading ban bill. His Democratic challenger says it’s toothless, and her new agenda would fix it.
