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The Iowa Democratic Party is set to select its next party chair on January 21 in what is expected to be a wide-open contest following the 2016 losses. Eight candidates are vying for the position: Sandy Dockendorff, Derek Eadon, Mike Gronstal, Bob Krause, Blair Lawton,...
I know we just suffered a humbling defeat. However, as Democrats digest the ugly election results they should be celebrating the popular vote total. Even though Hillary Clinton lost the election based on the electoral college, she won the national popular vote total....
A lot of attention has focused on the Democrats’ difficulties with young voters – typically their best voting bloc – this year, but Republicans are dealing with a similar – if smaller – rebellion among their youthful backers. Donald Trump’s candidacy has many young...
This year has been a whirlwind for politics. We started out the year with stories of an impassioned movement, often described as a “revolution” among young people participating in politics. Unfortunately, much of that talk fizzled following the presidential primary...
Senator Chuck Grassley celebrates another year of 99 county visits today, finishing his final event in Anamosa in Jones County. But just how meaningful or authentic is the so-called "Full Grassley" that Iowa's senior senator is so well-known for? This summer a...
"Have you caught anything good?" It's an easy conversation starter with any stranger out on the street that's looking down at his or her phone this week. So it should be no surprise that political campaigns and issue groups are quickly taking advantage of the Pokemon...
Democrats have recruited an impressive candidate for the now-open House District 88: Ryan Drew, an operating engineers leader from Burlington. Longtime incumbent Tom Sands surprised many last week when he decided to withdraw his name from the ballot two days after the...
When Amy Nielsen ran for mayor of North Liberty in 2014, few expected her to succeed. It was her first campaign for public office in a city she had only lived in for seven years, up against an incumbent who had been involved in local government for 15 years. While her...
Multiple Republican sources confirmed to Starting Line that State Senator Mark Chelgren of Ottumwa plans on dropping his bid to challenge Congressman Dave Loebsack in the 2nd District. Chelgren had not yet officially filed his nominating papers for the seat, but had...
Only a few weeks ago Democrats' dreams of up-ending Chuck Grassley in his reelection campaign was just that: a hopeful, unrealistic dream. But now Grassley finds himself in the middle of the national firestorm over the looming Supreme Court nomination battle that...
After five days on the road with the top three Democratic presidential candidates, I'm back at home decompressing and sorting through all the interesting tidbits that didn't make it into my main posts. Here's some good odds and ends of what I saw out at eight Sanders...
Bernie Sanders may not be appearing at any Labor Day events in Iowa today like Hillary Clinton and Martin O'Malley are, but his presence will certainly be felt after winning over many union members with a campaign stop three days ago. At an informational picketing...
Every Iowa Caucus season brings in the big names running for president, but it also attracts a lot of issue-based groups who organize for the caucus as well. One of the most visibly active this cycle has been NextGen Climate, which is ramping up in Iowa this summer....
In a very surprising development for the 1st District Democratic primary, Ravi Patel has announced he is withdrawing from the race. Patel entered the campaign back in February after being seen as a rising star by some in the party who had encouraged him to run. The...
Tomorrow, Republican presidential candidates galore descend upon Boone to attend Senator Joni Ernst's inaugural Roast and Ride fundraiser. There's a fun, carnival-style level of excitement building around the motorcycle- and pork-focused event for Republicans, much in...
A life of political advocacy and being a single mother to a gifted child has well-prepared Natasha Newcomb in her new plan to run for Des Moines School Board. She is a candidate for School Board District 3, campaigning for the election in September. Starting Line...
Legislation isn't the only thing being talked about under the golden dome these days. It's that time in the campaign cycle when potential candidates are sizing up the competition, while incumbents are deciding whether they really want to go through another campaign....
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-identified socialist, undertook a three-day visit to Iowa late last week to test out a potential presidential bid. From Thursday to Saturday, he hit liberal gatherings, county party events and colleges in Iowa City, Des Moines,...
Good morning readers! As always, a lot happened in the political world this week in Iowa. Enjoy our Sunday Grab Bag of shorter takes on a number of Iowa-based topics: Bernie Sanders Impresses During Iowa Trip Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders finished up a three-day...
Update: This morning Ravi Patel officially announced that he is a Democratic candidate for the 1st Congressional District. In a press release he calls himself a "pro-growth progressive" and says, "We need a fresh perspective, we need new leadership, and we need...
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...
From a French bakery to a pet spa to a plant shop, discover Cedar Rapids’ top women-owned businesses.
We knew this Southeast Iowa factory was closing. Now we know when layoffs are happening—and how many workers will be affected. (Watch this story on YouTube.) This week, Case New Holland filed notice that 209 workers will be laid off in Burlington. Instead of one big...
US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, the Republican congresswoman for Iowa’s 1st District, recently changed her voter registration to Iowa’s 3rd—despite still representing, and running for reelection, in the 1st.
Tapestry Farms provides resources to the Quad Cities’ refugee community. We spoke with executive director Ann McGlynn about how its mission has changed lives for the better.
Saturday is Nov. 1, and Nov. 1 is when the monthlong federal government shutdown—assuming it hasn't been lifted—will become very personal and very real. There are two big reasons for that. First: Nov. 1 is when SNAP benefits will end for 42 million Americans, the...
Des Moines is on the precipice of becoming a safe haven for women’s sports.
The only qualifier a federal employee has to meet to eat free at Flavors of India is to show a work badge to verify their employment. Flavors of India owner Apjeet Makkar wants federal employees to treat his restaurant like their home kitchen as they wait for the...
Lansing bridge, a transportation lifeline connecting Lansing in northeast Iowa to Wisconsin, is set to close in October.
The Democratic state senator from West Des Moines died on Oct. 6 after a bout with an undisclosed illness. West Des Moines resident Al Womble will always remember the first time he met Iowa Sen. Claire Celsi. Womble, a union organizer by trade, was an active...
