Category: Democrats

Back in the old days of Iowa Democratic politics (when the party won a lot more often), political power was typically concentrated among a few statewide elected officials. Party chairs were usually hand-picked by Tom Vilsack, Chet Culver or Tom Harkin, and the type of sprawling primary fields we have for 2018 were very uncommon. There were still competitive primaries, of course, with different factions lining up behind their favorite candidate. The 2006 gubernatorial race was a good example of this: legislators and many of the unions backed Mike Blouin, Ed Fallon won over progressive activists (called liberals back then) […]

Janesville school board member Cathy Myers hopes to knock off Speaker Paul Ryan in Wisconsin’s 1st District next year, but her story in politics began in Iowa. And just like any good Iowa politics story, it involves Jimmy Carter, motorcycles, national conventions, a legislative legend and some corn detasseling. Cathy Myers is the daughter of Dick Myers, who was once the Democratic minority leader in the Iowa House and an all-around institution in Iowa politics. She grew up with her family in Iowa City and Coralville, where her parents ran the Hawkeye Truck Stop at the Coralville exit off I-80. […]

It’s been a busy couple of days for Iowa campaigns. Here’s a quick look at many of the new developments. Tyler Olson Is Back On The Ballot Former state representative and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Tyler Olson is running for an at-large Cedar Rapids City Council seat. He announced on Tuesday that he would seek the seat that incumbent Ralph Russell just decided to retire from. No one else is in the race yet, though candidates still have until late September to file for the November 7 election date. Many who had seen Olson as a promising rising star in the […]

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate never really paid a political price for the 5,842 uncounted votes in Dallas County in the 2016 general election. Jim Mowrer plans to change that. The veteran and past congressional candidate kicked off his bid for the Democratic nomination for secretary of state the other week, focusing his early messaging on criticism of the Dallas County mess. “The Secretary of State, the man in charge of our elections, didn’t count nearly 6,000 votes,” Mowrer told Starting Line recently. “And I have seen first-hand the cost of our freedom and our democracy, and it is […]

The theme of the night for the Democratic Wing Ding Dinner in Clear Lake, Iowa on Friday night was “Rising Stars,” meant for keynote speakers Jason Kander and Congressman Eric Swalwell, both 36, but also for the many young candidates for Iowa office. About half the Democratic candidates there running for governor, secretary of state and Congress were under the age of 40. The dynamic highlighted a growing trend in the party that finds itself out of power: without older, longtime incumbents holding the reins of power in Iowa or nationally anymore, a younger generation has found room to step […]

As Des Moines businesswoman Deidre DeJear plans her run for Iowa Secretary of State in 2018, she’s highlighting the fact that she already has plenty of experience in the role’s two main jobs: encouraging voting and helping small businesses. She ran voter turnout efforts for Barack Obama’s campaign in Iowa in 2012, and operates her own company that helps other small businesses get off the ground. However, the act of voting itself was never really a part of her family’s priorities when she was growing up. Not because they weren’t involved in the community, but because her father didn’t even […]

A large, enthusiastic crowd of Democratic activists and donors turned out last night for the Iowa Democratic Party’s Hall of Fame Dinner in Des Moines, offering up at least one sign that the party faithful remains energized seven months into the Trump era. While high-stakes votes were being held in the U.S. Senate on the repeal of Obamacare (which ultimately failed), Iowa Democrats heard from their gubernatorial candidates looking to take on Governor Kim Reynolds next fall. The evening was the first opportunity for the IDP to showcase its new leadership in Troy Price, who was elected as the new […]