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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Ottumwa residents say ‘the system will crash’ after Medicaid cuts
Democratic congressional candidate Sarah Trone Garriott held a roundtable in Ottumwa where local health care professionals and patients discussed the closure of MercyOne’s Ottumwa clinic and how the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” led to it. OTTUMWA – Kerri Rupe, a retired family nurse practitioner, said working in the health care system taught her how broken…
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Five ways the Affordable Care Act improved health care in the United States
The Affordable Care Act turns 16 this month. Before it passed, insurers could deny you coverage for a pre-existing condition, cut you off when your bills got too high, and charge you full price with no help. Here’s what changed. Sixteen years ago, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law. Since…
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Nathan Sage drops out of US Senate race, endorses Turek
Nathan Sage dropped out of the Democratic primary for Iowa’s US Senate race, endorsing Josh Turek. This reshapes the 2026 Democratic primary as Turek and Zach Wahls duke it out to take on Republican establishment pick Ashley Hinson for the open seat. Nathan Sage, the Marine and Army veteran who was the first Democrat to…
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Hinson, Miller-Meeks, Nunn back bill that could make it harder for married women to vote
The SAVE Act is a massive overhaul of the country’s elections. Iowa’s House delegation was part of the razor-thin margin that passed it. The bill could disproportionately impact eligible women voters. The US House of Representatives passed an elections overhaul bill Wednesday that would implement sweeping regulations on how people register to vote and how…
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Iowa Republican bill would classify all abortions as homicide
Legislators have been happy to prosecute abortion providers in the past. But their new move is to target Iowans who get abortions themselves, classifying the procedure as a homicide. Iowa Republicans have been pushing for years to make abortions less accessible to Iowans and criminalize their healthcare providers. This session, however, Republicans are pushing legislation…
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Iowa Republicans push to eliminate school vaccine requirements, other sweeping changes
As measles returns to the United States, Iowa Republicans want to remove school vaccine requirements shown to reduce spread of deadly viruses. Iowa Republicans advanced legislation Wednesday that would make Iowa the first state in the nation to completely eliminate vaccine requirements for K-12 students, marking a dramatic shift from nearly five decades of public…
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Feenstra leads primary in fundraising but faces grassroots backlash
US Rep. Randy Feenstra enters the 2026 Iowa gubernatorial primary as the fundraising frontrunner, but roiling discontent among Republican activists threatens to undermine his campaign. US Rep. Randy Feenstra has an ideal perch in the Iowa Republican primary for governor. The northwestern Iowa congressman raised $4.3 million in his campaign’s first seven months, fundraising circles…
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3 takeaways from Trump’s Iowa speech
The president made his first major 2026 pitch in Clive as his administration is roiled by two fatal shootings of US citizens by immigration agents in Minnesota. CLIVE — Amid widespread dissatisfaction with his administration, President Donald Trump kicked off his party’s 2026 midterm campaign Tuesday with a rally where he claimed victory over inflation…
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Iowa congressional races see Democratic fields narrow
State Rep. Jennifer Konfrst exited the Democratic primary for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, while Democrat Taylor Wettach pivoted to a bid for state auditor. Iowa’s two most competitive congressional races saw significant shifts this week as Democratic candidates dropped out, setting up clearer general election matchups against two embattled Republican incumbents. State Rep. Jennifer Konfrst…
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A private equity firm bought this Iowa mobile home park. Now, residents say it’s sinking into the ground.
A Utah-based private equity firm is slowly selling off its Iowa mobile home parks after years of resident complaints. In one Iowa City park that Havenpark Communities still owns, residents report ongoing issues with water contamination and soil erosion beneath homes. Pamela Rodriguez paid more than $1,000 to level the ground underneath her mobile home…
