Kim Reynolds Bucks Disclosure Law With Foxhoven Firing

On By Randy Evans

When he was governor, Terry Branstad often voiced his frustration that he was not able to comment on the reasons a state government employee was fired or demoted. In Branstad’s view, the public — the taxpayers of Iowa — deserved to know why the action was taken against the employee. But the governor would explain his hands were tied by a state law to keep some information about government workers confidential. The Republican majorities in the Iowa House and Iowa Senate heard Branstad’s frustrations loud and clear. When they convened their 2017 session, they quickly voted to make an important […]

Reynolds’ DNR Concealing Real Extent Of Iowa Water Contamination At Lakes

On By Rick Smith

Each week from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) takes water samples from Iowa public park beaches. They test for dangerous bacterial contaminants and post those beaches that are unsafe for recreational swimming. However, there are serious concerns that the standard the IDNR is using to test the water fails to adequately alert the public to the dangerous bacterial contamination. Governor Reynolds and her IDNR are putting Iowa family’s health at risk by refusing to follow the EPA health standards for Iowa recreational waters. E. Coli and Microcystins This is the third week we […]

Even In Loss, Fred Hubbell Raised Awareness Of Key Issues

On By Rick Smith

Fred Hubbell fell short in his campaign to oust Governor Kim Reynolds, but he successfully raised vital issues that will continue to demand action by Iowans. The unsolved problems that Hubbell focused on in his campaign won’t go away; he was absolutely correct to identify them in his criticism of Reynolds’ leadership. Democrats shouldn’t take Reynolds’ victory as a rejection of the importance of the issues Hubbell focused on during the campaign. The exit polling that Iowa Starting Line summarized earlier this week confirms that many of the issues that the Hubbell campaign raised have majority support from Iowa voters. Hubbell […]

In Iowa, The Trump Era Realignment Intensifies

On By Pat Rynard

Two waves hit Iowa on Tuesday. Unfortunately for Democrats, the red one was just a little bit stronger and in just the right places for Republicans to win statewide and in specific state legislative seats. The election results continued the trend of intensifying polarization in Iowa and national politics, exacerbating both parties’ weaknesses and strengths in different communities. That process started many cycles ago, but Donald Trump really sped things up. Fred Hubbell carried only 11 counties, a steady decline from Barack Obama’s 38-county win in 2012, though better than Hillary Clinton’s 2016 performance where she won just six. And […]

The Most Shocking Number From Iowa’s Election Night

On By Pat Rynard

Democrats were feeling good early on last night. Cindy Axne and Abby Finkenauer had both made history in their congressional victories. J.D. Scholten was actually leading Steve King. Democrats swept a series of Iowa House races in the Des Moines suburbs. Fred Hubbell jumped out to a big lead when Polk County came in fast. But as the evening wore on, the mood soured. Kim Reynolds picked up steam as rural counties reported, and she started winning a handful of blue-collar Eastern Iowa counties that Democrats needed to hold. Eventually, she won. How? Many Democrats were stunned that both Finkenauer […]

Republicans Retain Full Control Of Iowa Government

On By Pat Rynard

Republicans will continue to run all of Iowa government following tonight’s elections after a blue wave failed to reach Iowa and Kim Reynolds held off Fred Hubbell’s challenge. Reynolds currently leads by about two percentage points, but several news outlets have called the race for the governor. While numbers are still coming in, the key to her victory may be winning several Eastern Iowa counties that shifted hard to the right for Donald Trump in 2016 and did not bounce back for Democrats tonight. Reynolds carried Muscatine and Jackson counties, and she’s nearly tied in Clinton County. Hubbell racked up […]

Potential Scenarios For Tonight’s Iowa Elections

On By Pat Rynard

It’s here. It’s finally, finally here. Iowans are headed to the polls this morning, and there’s already reports of long lines and enthusiastic new voters registering at their voting place. After high-profile campaigns that have lasted an intense 16 months or more, most candidates, volunteers, staffers and rank-and-file Democrats and Republicans are just eager for it to be done – and to see who wins. Democrats have become cautiously optimistic in the past week, though memories of devastating election nights in 2016, 2014 and 2010 weigh heavy on their minds. But there are very legitimate reasons to feel good about […]

King Makes Anti-Gay Attacks, Then Joins Reynolds At Rally

On By Pat Rynard

Congressman Steve King ended his campaign in as hateful of a way as possible Monday, attacking national Republicans for funding a gay congressional candidate in California. Just a few hours after making those comments, he shared a stage with Governor Kim Reynolds for the statewide Republican ticket’s final rally of the campaign. “They sent money over to support a candidate in a primary in California who was a, uh, had a sex-same partner that they put all over glossy mailers,” King said at an event earlier today. “I don’t know if they were holding hands or what was the deal. […]

Kim Reynolds Ends Campaign With Steve King In Sioux County

On By Pat Rynard

Governor Kim Reynolds’ final rally of her campaign will be held in Sioux Center with Congressman Steve King. Mired in state and national controversy over the past two weeks for his history of racist statements, King has become radioactive to many leaders within the Republican Party. The chair of the NRCC condemned King for promoting white supremacy, while conservative opinion leaders from The National Review to the Wall Street Journal editorial page has called for King to go. But when pressed by reporters last week, Reynolds refused to remove King as her campaign co-chair, something she’s faced pressure over multiple […]

These Counties Have Already Surpassed Their 2014 Early Vote

On By Pat Rynard

Iowa is on pace to easily surpass its final 2014 early vote totals before Election Day. Democrats’ numbers are looking particularly strong, pulling away by a strong margin from Republicans in the last week. There are 35,192 more registered Democrats who have voted early than registered Republicans. At this point in 2014, Democrats held only a 6,829 lead. Let’s dive in to all the numbers, including a look at what counties are turning out strongly for either party (as always, you can look at my full county spreadsheet here). First, here’s the current statewide early vote totals: Requested Voted Dem […]