You may have heard two weeks ago that a man drove his car into an Iowa City homeless encampment. But you probably don't know the full story.
Can Democrats flip one of Iowa's reddest congressional districts? State Representative Lindsay James thinks so.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith sits down with the Dubuque legislator who's spent seven years fighting for insulin access and affordable healthcare in the Iowa House.
Toss some bags at "no" tax on tips... merit pay for teachers... a Sioux City special election next week... and a new candidate taking on US Rep. Ashley Hinson.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
01:30 - Why Lindsay James is Challenging Ashley Hinson in 2026
03:30 - The Impossible Choices: Rent vs. Life-Saving Medication
05:00 - Republican Leadership Kills Insulin Access Bill
07:00 - Pharmaceutical Lobbyists Run the Iowa Legislature
09:00 - Ashley Hinson's "Big Beautiful Bill" Moral Failure
10:30 - Iowa's Cancer Crisis: Worst Rising Rates in America
12:30 - How Faith Drives Progressive Politics (Good Samaritan)
14:00 - Taking on a $5 Million GOP Fundraising Machine
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Can Democrats win in deep-red western Iowa? As Republicans dominate rural districts, one mom is betting that grassroots organizing and door-to-door conversations can flip a seat that hasn't seen Democratic representation in years.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith sits down with Caitlyn Drey, the 37-year-old founder of Moms for Iowa, who's running in a special election for Iowa Senate District 1 in Sioux City.
Toss some bags at "no" tax on tips... merit pay for teachers... a Sioux City special election next week... and a new candidate taking on US Rep. Ashley Hinson.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:30 - Democrats Beating Odds in Rural Iowa Districts
01:30 - How "Moms for Iowa" Instagram Account Started a Movement
03:30 - From Phone Calls to Running for Office (The Gulf)
04:30 - Uvalde Shooting Sparks Mom's Political Awakening
07:00 - "When You Need a Mess Cleaned Up, You Send Mom"
09:00 - School Voucher Fight That Changed Everything
12:00 - Why Losing Rural Schools Destroys Communities
14:30 - Special Election Strategy: Knocking Every Door
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The "one big, beautiful bill" promises to help working Americans – but does it deliver? While Republicans celebrate no tax on tips with flashy Instagram ads, the reality for service workers is far more complicated.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith and Amy Rivers break down the actual impact of the no tax on tips policy.
Toss some bags at "no" tax on tips... merit pay for teachers... a Sioux City special election next week... and a new candidate taking on US Rep. Ashley Hinson.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:30 - Republicans' "Bump It" Style Tax Ad
02:30 - No Tax on Tips: The $25,000 Limit Nobody Mentions
04:30 - Why Service Workers Still Pay Payroll Taxes
06:00 - GOP Rep's Embarrassing 10% Tip Goes Viral
08:00 - What Actually Helps Service Workers (Hint: Not Tax Gimmicks)
10:30 - Iowa DOGE Wants Performance Pay for Teachers
12:00 - Why Merit Pay Punishes Students Who Need Help Most
15:00 - The Business Model That's Killing Public Education
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Polluting rivers? Call Attorney General Brenna Bird.
Iowa uses more pesticides per capita than any other state—nearly 54 million pounds annually. But according to research engineer Chris Jones, we might be focusing on the wrong chemicals when it comes to cancer risk.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith sits down with Jones, author of "The Swine Republic" and president of Driftless Water Defenders, to unpack Iowa's chemical cocktail crisis. We explore why 60% of Iowa's corn goes to ethanol production that exists only because of policy—not environmental benefits. Jones argues it's time to "slaughter the sacred cow" and redirect farm conservation dollars toward systems that don't pollute in the first place.
Toss some bags at Iowa's pesticide problem... why ethanol might be our biggest policy mistake... and what a progressive water quality platform actually looks like.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
SHOW RUNDOWN:
01:00 - Iowa uses more pesticides per capita than any other state
02:00 - The dangerous "chemical cocktail" effect explained
03:30 - Neonicotinoids: The overlooked pesticide in our drinking water
07:00 - How weeds fighting back is making everything worse
08:00 - Dicamba drift: Why everyone in Iowa is breathing toxic chemicals
12:00 - The "D-Day invasion" of crop dusters poisoning our air
22:00 - Why ethanol is Iowa's biggest policy mistake
24:30 - Slaughtering the sacred cow: What needs to change now
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Iowa's DOGE task force just released 45 recommendations for the state government. Unsurprisingly, they want to cut more social services.
Iowa's two-time Paralympic gold medalist Josh Turek is taking on Senator Joni Ernst. The Council Bluffs Democrat has won twice in Trump territory and thinks he knows how to beat Republicans statewide.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith sits down with State Rep. Josh Turek to discuss his Senate bid, his personal healthcare struggles that drove him to politics, and why he's optimistic about Democrats' chances in 2026.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 Meet Josh Turek: From Paralympic Gold to Iowa Politics
02:00 How Turek Wins in Districts Trump Carries by Double Digits
04:30 Why Healthcare Drives Everything Turek Does in Politics
05:30 Iowa's Medicaid Crisis: 22,000 on Seven-Year Wait Lists
07:00 Why Turek Is Leaving the Iowa Legislature for Senate
09:30 What Sets Turek Apart in the Crowded Democratic Primary
11:30 Why Turek Is Optimistic About Democrats in 2026
13:00 Post-Interview Analysis: Turek's Unique Healthcare Perspective
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Iowa Republicans are coming for the public employee retirement system—again. Despite promising to "protect and defend" IPERS in 2018, Gov. Kim Reynolds's handpicked DOGE task force now wants to eliminate pensions for new state employees.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker break down how wealthy business executives are targeting the 11th best-funded pension system in America.
Toss some bags at Iowa DOGE's pension grab... Josh Turek's Senate bid... And how cancer research cuts are shutting down labs across Iowa...
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 Cold Open: The Great Donut Debate Gets Heated
04:30 Iowa DOGE Targets Teacher and Police Pensions
06:00 What is IPERS and Why One in Ten Iowans Depend on It
08:30 Average IPERS Payout: Only $15,000 Per Year
10:30 Iowa Has the 11th Best Pension System in America
11:00 Even Iowa Republicans Oppose This Proposal
12:00 Why Public Workers Earn Less Than Private Sector
13:30 How This Could Gut Iowa's Public Workforce
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Federal Medicaid cuts are expected to strip health care from 86,000 Iowans over the next ten years, but one rural hospital administrator warns the impacts could be felt in four to five months.
