Category: IA Gov

Des Moines businessman and philanthropist Fred Hubbell made it official today: he’s running for governor. He had started up an exploratory committee back in late May, and has been mostly been working behind the scenes the past two months with his campaign team to prepare a launch and flesh out their operation. He’s slowly introduced himself to activists at a handful of Democratic events, but hasn’t participated in any forums yet or embarked on a statewide trip. Hubbell marked his announcement with a kick-off video, which shows him discussing Iowa’s economic opportunities with small business owners and workers, often with […]

The drastic budget cuts to mental healthcare programs implemented by Governor Kim Reynolds and her predecessor look awfully bad on paper. But what are some of the real-life impacts that actual Iowans are seeing in their day-to-day lives? That’s something State Senator Nate Boulton sought to find out and highlight this week with a roundtable discussion aimed at uncovering the fallout of Reynolds’ actions. “We’re at a time where Iowa’s revenue is stable and growing, and yet we’re seeing round after round of budget cuts,” Boulton said. “These problems don’t go away by cutting services. The problems still exist and […]

At a hot and sun-drenched campaign picnic in Urbandale at Living History Farms, John Norris drew a sizable crowd to his gubernatorial kick-off tour. With about 200 people in attendance, Norris’ event was the largest yet of the Democratic Terrace Hill hopefuls, as well as the most bountiful: a pot luck style meal filled the park tables. Norris himself joined a band on stage before his speech to belt out some lines from a Johnny Cash song. Norris began his six-day, 20-stop tour in his hometown of Red Oak, and is traveling through Northwest Iowa today. Sunday’s event in the Des […]

John Norris is launching his campaign for governor this weekend, touring the state on a six-day, 20-stop journey. It’ll be the culmination of months of preparation, and he’s expected to be a serious contender in the primary, in part thanks to his significant experience in Iowa politics and government. Norris was Tom Vilsack’s chief of staff, is a past chair of the IDP and served at USDA, among many, many other important roles. The tour starts in Red Oak, where Norris grew up (also home to Joni Ernst). He’s put a particular emphasis on rebuilding the economy in rural Iowa […]

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett kicked off his campaign for governor last week in front of a crowd of about 250 well-wishers in the city’s NewBo Market. There was no singing this time. But will Corbett’s candidacy grow to anything more than a sideshow in the many 2018 contests? Corbett faces extremely long odds in upsetting Governor Kim Reynolds in next June’s Republican primary. So what I wanted to see was whether he would really make the case to why the party faithful should abandon the current governor for him. Sometimes in long-shot bids like this one, the challenger will play […]

Though two of the candidates have yet to officially declare their campaigns, Iowa Democrats’ eight-person gubernatorial field is nearing the end of the introductory phase. Now we’re into the never-ending forum stage, also known as the “fun” stage for people who have no concept of what that word means. Now primary-going Democrats start to see how well their Terrace Hill hopefuls can think on their feet and how they choose to differentiate themselves with their opponents sitting next to them. Last week seven of the eight Democratic gubernatorial contenders gathered for a lively forum in Des Moines sponsored by the […]

In advance of Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett’s announcement for governor today, Kim Reynolds’ campaign looked to flex their organizational muscle by releasing a list of 1,050 county chairs. Yes, 1,050 for a state with 99 counties. I’ve seen a lot of county leader endorsement lists in my time during past caucus campaigns, but that might top the largest ever assembled. It’s a bit over-the-top, but still effectively sends the message to Corbett on the day he kicks off his primary challenge: the party infrastructure is solidly behind Governor Reynolds. Of course, when you have so many names as Reynolds […]

“Something Different.” That could easily be the slogan for Cathy Glasson’s campaign for governor in 2018, as she said at one point in an interview with Starting Line that “Iowans want to see something different.” She believes Iowans will find just that in her candidacy, where she’s pitching what she calls a “bold, progressive vision” for Iowa’s future. After kicking off her bid last week, Glasson has hit the Democratic Party county event circuit, putting in some long hours traveling the state. She’s used to it having worked as a nurse for over two decades, where 12-hour shifts are the […]