Politics
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EXCLUSIVE: House Majority PAC makes huge Iowa ad buy as Democrats go on offense
A Democratic Party-aligned super PAC is dropping hundreds of millions in media markets across the country, including three of Iowa’s biggest metros.
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Iowa Senate Democrats hold up Reynolds’ appointees
Now that Iowa Democrats have broken Republicans’ supermajority in the Senate, they’re using it to trip up Gov. Kim Reynolds’ choice for a key department lead. Starting in 2022, Republicans enjoyed a supermajority in the Iowa Senate. This meant that Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ state agency appointees, which require a two-thirds majority in the Senate…
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Photos show Iowa legislative pages stuffing campaign mailers for Dubuque Republican Rep. Jennifer Smith
As the Iowa Legislature heads for overtime, one member of the Iowa House is already gearing up for her reelection. And photos shared with Iowa Starting Line show she’s putting pages to work stuffing mailers. Iowa Starting Line obtained photographs that appear to show Iowa legislative pages stuffing reelection campaign mailers for state Rep. Jennifer…
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Wahls releases economic agenda targeting corporate power, Iowa costs
Zach Wahls released a sweeping 10-point economic platform targeting corporate monopolies, billionaire tax breaks, and the rising cost of housing, childcare, and wages. Iowa Sen. Zach Wahls, a candidate in the Democratic primary for US Senate, is talking a lot about the cost of fire trucks. “In the last decade the price for a new…
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Iowa voters say clean water is a top issue. Ashley Hinson has voted to limit clean water protections
Iowa voters say clean water is a top priority. As US Rep. Ashley Hinson campaigns for Iowa’s open US Senate seat, her voting record shows a consistent pattern of opposing federal clean water protections. It was billed as a common-sense fix for bureaucratic red tape. When US Rep. Ashley Hinson voted for the PERMIT Act…
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Rob Sand unveils cannabis legalization plan, a potential solution to Iowa’s $1.4 billion budget hole
Iowa faces a serious budget challenge. This 4/20, Democratic candidate for governor Rob Sand wants the state to stop sending cannabis tax dollars to Illinois and Minnesota—and instead put it to use for Iowans. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand announced a plan Monday to legalize, tax, and regulate adult-use cannabis in Iowa. Sand framed the…
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Ashley Hinson, Iowa GOP accepted donations from megadonor accused in 2019 sex trafficking sting
Billionaire John W. Childs is back to seeding Republican campaigns with large checks after his 2019 solicitation charges related to a sex trafficking sting were dropped. Records show his deep pockets are helping Iowa’s Congressional delegation as they prepare for the 2026 midterms. [Update: After publication, a reader pointed out that John Childs of Vero…
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Iowa minors could need parental approval for cancer-preventing HPV vaccine
The Iowa House passed a bill requiring parental consent for minors to receive the HPV vaccine, which protects against an STI that causes cancer.
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Rep. Miller-Meeks spent as much as $26,000 in taxpayer funds to rent DC apartment from pharma lobbyists
While sitting on a House subcommittee that oversees drug pricing, Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks was renting her DC apartment from lobbyists paid millions to fight prescription drug cost reforms on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry. Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks rented a Washington, D.C. apartment from two lobbyists whose firm was paid $1.8 million to lobby…
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Iowa Democratic Senate primary becomes a referendum on what anti-establishment actually means
Josh Turek and Zach Wahls agree on almost everything. The one thing they can’t agree on: what it actually means to fight the system. Iowa’s Democratic Senate primary will be decided June 2, with voters choosing between two candidates who both claim to be the anti-establishment candidate. State Senator Zach Wahls and State Representative Josh…
