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Does it seem like Republicans send out an email every morning with their key talking points? All their spokespeople immediately begin to repeat these points and they have their message for the day. It’s obviously not that simple, but most would probably agree that...
As the accolades to former Republican Governor Robert Ray pour in, we must ask what has become of his political party? What happened to Ray's Republican Party that welcomed immigrants, believed in protecting the environment, supported and respected union worker...
State Representative Abby Finkenauer's campaign to take on Congressman Rod Blum continues to pick up steam following her large win in last month's Democratic primary. Finkenauer will report raising over $765,000 in the second quarter of 2018, which appears to be the...
Democrats in Iowa are feeling good as they head into the 2018 elections, boosted by turnout and registration data from the primary that shows their base energized and involved. The party added over 24,000 new registered Democrats in a month and saw their largest...
Guest piece from Caleb Gates, a refugee case manager and advocacy specialist in Cedar Rapids. He read this as a speech at a recent Families Belong Together Rally. We, the people of the United States, immigrants and descendants of immigrants, denounce the separation...
"We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately" - Benjamin Franklin That quote from one of our Founding Fathers should be a reminder to Iowa Democrats that we must all unite. Franklin gave that advice to all American patriots following the...
If you go out East this week and swing by places like Mount Vernon, Monticello and Montpelier, don’t be surprised if the soil has been disturbed over the graves of our Founding Fathers. Those founders of this beacon of freedom known as the United States of America...
Iowa farmers and Iowa companies that depend on exports better beware of Trump’s tariff promises. His flip-flop from friend to foe with Harley-Davidson should be a warning to all Iowans not to trust his promises. Iowa Republicans are calling for patience and suggesting...
With the 2018 elections just a few months away, I am already thinking about who would make the best Democratic candidates for President and Vice President just 29 months away. I have my pick for President and it’s the same one I have had the past few presidential...
Whirlpool’s $1.7 billion acquisition of Maytag, a storied Iowa brand of home appliances, offers a fascinating window into international trade and tariffs. At the time of the 2006 deal, Whirlpool was the largest appliance maker in the United States. Maytag was its...
Now that the dust has settled from Tuesday night's primaries across Iowa, let's take a closer look at some of the trends and the county-level turnout numbers. There's some interesting information there that helps explain what happened, why campaigns end up the way...
Iowa farm leaders and manufacturing industry leaders have hit the panic button as Trump’s tariffs jeopardize the state’s economy. Trump's trade war is quickly escalating as China, Mexico, Canada and the European Union have already retaliated or promised to punish...
Iowa held its primaries today and the results in several key races have big implications for the state and national political environment in 2018 and beyond. Here's Starting Line's summary of what happened for all you national political watchers. Democrats Smash...
Primary contests for open, safe legislative seats for either party often draw multiple candidates and generate serious competition. Such is certainly the case for Democrats in Senate District 37, where fundraising and spending may set a record for a legislative...
While a lot of eyes are on Abby Finkenauer’s bid to take on Rod Blum in the 1st District, one of the biggest contests on June 5 will be between the three Democrats looking to replace her in the Iowa House. Two of those candidates, Lindsay James and Brad Cavanagh, have...
As the Democratic gubernatorial field continues to settle following Nate Boulton's withdrawal, several former top Boulton supporters are backing Fred Hubbell this morning. Senators Bill Dotzler, Tony Bisignano, Representative Jerry Kearns and former Senator Tom...
I am surely not the only person who has wondered what it was like to live through various big events from history, events that occurred long before I entered this world in 1950. This curiosity has led me to contemplate events like the Civil War, the growing tensions...
Connie Ryan has spent many long hours up at the Statehouse fighting for progressive causes, and a lot of local and statewide community leaders have liked what they've seen. A very long list of elected officials, activists, faith leaders, business owners, labor unions...
The Working Families Party is endorsing Cathy Glasson in her bid for Iowa governor today, adding to Glasson's coalition of national progressive organizations to help her close strong in the primary. They hope that will serve as one more sign to Democrats' left-leaning...
Senator Nate Boulton ended his campaign for governor this morning following yesterday's accusations of past sexually inappropriate behavior with women, detailed in a Des Moines Register story. It was an abrupt finish to what had been an otherwise promising political...
The Democratic gubernatorial primary may very well have ended today when the Des Moines Register published a story of three women's accusations of sexually inappropriate behavior they experienced from Senator Nate Boulton. The report from Brianne Pfannenstiel detailed...
With the June 5 Democratic primary fast approaching, lots of voters around the state are just now beginning to tune into the race. Iowa Starting Line has been covering the race for well over a year and a half, interviewing the candidates, covering forums, tracking...
Woodbury County is voting their butts off. New early vote data from Friday shows a big jump in absentee ballot requests in several counties. The Northwest Iowa county anchored by Sioux City saw a particularly large increase, bringing them to the fourth-most in the...
Fred Hubbell holds an 11-point lead over Nate Boulton in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, the Des Moines Register's just-released poll shows, but Hubbell isn't yet breaking the 35% needed to avoid a convention. That gives every candidate hope that they can still...
Early voting began for the June 5 primary last week, but the overall numbers for the Democratic primary aren't too impressive yet. A big reason for that is due to the later start of the early vote - Republicans reduced that timeframe from 40 days to 29 with their new...
Guest post from ISU student Cody Woodruff. Like many other viewers of the first Democratic gubernatorial primary debate, I was disappointed with the lack of an actual debate. I may have made my decision of who to support long ago, but I still wanted to see how the...
It seems every time you get a political fundraising email, the candidate insists that their most critical finance deadline ever is looming. When you get last-minute pitches for funds from now until Monday, though, they're probably telling the truth. Monday, May 14 is...
With just three and a half weeks remaining in the Democratic primary, the candidates are criss-crossing the state and blanketing the airwaves and mailboxes with ads. They're also rolling out endorsements from late-deciding leaders to project momentum. Here's a look at...
If you've been listening to Cardi B's new album on repeat since it came out, there's a decent chance you're voting for Nate Boulton in the Democratic primary. But if you end your evening relaxing with a nice glass of wine and listening to some Chopin, it's more likely...
Des Moines businessman Fred Hubbell holds a substantial lead over the rest of the Democratic gubernatorial field, according to a new poll released this morning. A Remington Research Group poll commissioned by KBUR Radio of Burlington showed Hubbell at 46%, well above...
