Without Rural Improvement, Dems Will Never Retake U.S. Senate

On By Josh Cook

As everyone digests the first round of Democratic debates and discusses the bold policy agendas of the candidates, it can be easy to over-nationalize politics. But winning the presidency is just a step, and certainly doesn’t guarantee that any of those policies will successfully be implemented. Legislation runs through the Senate, where if Mitch McConnell remains the majority leader, Democratic proposals will go to die. And connecting with rural voters to regain control of the U.S. Senate is getting overlooked by many Democrats, says Jeff Link of Link Strategies. “Until we figure this out, we will never have a majority […]

How Iowa Sanders Supporters Are Slowly Moving To Clinton

On By Pat Rynard

“That’s Clinton’s position, that’s my position, that’s not Donald Trump’s position.” Bernie Sanders repeated that line often during his visit to Drake University’s campus yesterday in an effort to win back his disaffected former supporters. He continually implored the crowd of students and activists to support Hillary Clinton, who he insisted supported many of the same progressive policies that fueled his own revolutionary campaign. “We need to take an objective look at reality,” Sanders said. “Not personality, it is policy. Old fashioned, boring policy, which will impact your lives.” Sanders listed off issue after issue that he and Clinton line […]

Jill Stein Supporters Doubt Sanders Loss, Rally For Green Party In Des Moines

On By Pat Rynard

At times during Jill Stein’s Des Moines rally yesterday, you could have closed your eyes and imagined you were right back at a Bernie Sanders caucus event. All the old hallmarks were there: income inequality, marijuana laws and oil pipelines were the big themes of the day, old Sanders t-shirts adorned many in the crowd and the attendees were the same mix of young and old progressives, many with colorful hair, that flocked to the Vermont Senator’s campaign. But giving the speech at the end of the rally this time was Stein, the Green Party’s presidential nominee, the new voice of the […]

Clinton’s 103-Year-Old Iowa Supporter, Ruline Steininger, In New Video

On By Pat Rynard

The Clinton campaign released a video today featuring Iowa’s Ruline Steininger, a 103-year-old Hillary Clinton supporter born before women achieved the right to vote. In it, Ruline explains what Clinton’s candidacy means to her and women around the country. The Pleasant Hill resident garnered considerable media attention back during the Iowa Caucus and was even followed on caucus night by a CNN crew. In the video she reads off part of her letter that she sent to Clinton before the caucus, in which she describes the many world events she saw during her life. She tells Clinton in her second century she hopes to […]

Voting for All We Can Be

On By Miyoko Hikiji

Guest post from Miyoko Hikiji, Iowa State Senate Candidate in District 20, Author of All I Could Be: My Story as a Woman Warrior in Iraq, Army & Iowa National Guard Veteran 1995-2004. Ninety-six years ago today, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was certified as law, guaranteeing women the right to vote for the first time in our nation’s history. Nearly a century later, we are on the brink of electing a woman President of the United States. Hillary Clinton’s example is inspiring to women across our country. Right here in Iowa we have the chance to elect more women to […]

Critical Next Two Weeks In Iowa For Trump And Clinton

On By Pat Rynard

For the next week and a half, Iowa is back in the center of the political universe, as is only right. But will we be after that? The presidential campaigns are barnstorming through Iowa over the next 10 days. Tim Kaine speaks today in Cedar Rapids. Jennifer Jacobs reported that Mike Pence will tour the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, while Donald Trump has promised to attend Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride the following Saturday. That’s a particularly big push for the Hawkeye State’s six electoral votes from the Republican nominee. Part of it might be a little bit of appreciation […]

Clinton And Democrats Build An Army In Iowa For November

On By Pat Rynard

While the media’s spotlight will be solely fixed upon the Republicans and Democrats’ conventions this week and next, the behind-the-scenes campaign efforts go forward on the ground in Iowa. And like in many other swing states key to winning the presidency, Hillary Clinton and the Democrats have built a huge operation here to turn out voters. Clinton’s campaign sent a small handful of key operatives from her Iowa Caucus operation back to the state starting in April. Kane Miller, Clinton’s Regional Field Director for Polk County during the caucus, worked behind the scenes until being named the Clinton state director […]

The Scenarios For Tom Vilsack As Clinton’s Vice President

On By Pat Rynard

After weeks of discussing Tom Kaine, Elizabeth Warren, Tom Perez and Sherrod Brown, a familiar Iowa name emerged in the vice president nominee debate for Democrats: Tom Vilsack. The current Secretary of Agriculture and former two-term Iowa Governor has reportedly been vetted by Clinton’s team. Those of us in Iowa understand why he’s still in the mix. Vilsack comes with an inspiring biography – placed in a Catholic orphanage in Pittsburgh, he was adopted and grew up in Pennsylvania before working his way through law school. His wife, Christie, took him back with her to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where he […]

Democrats Could Learn From Sanders’ Negotiating Skills

On By Pat Rynard

Finally, it has happened. Bernie Sanders endorsed Hillary Clinton for president this morning in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. “Hillary Clinton understands that we must fix an economy in America that is rigged and that sends almost all new wealth and income to the top one percent,” Sanders said in the middle of his endorsement speech. “Hillary Clinton understands that if someone in America works 40 hours a week, that person should not be living in poverty.” Sanders’ enthusiastic backing for Clinton will bring a lot for the Democrats’ soon-to-be nominee. Not all of his most ardent supporters will vote for Clinton, […]

At GOP Fundraiser Tamara Scott Basically Prays For Hillary’s Arrest For Benghazi

On By Pat Rynard

Iowa Republicans gathered in Des Moines last night for their annual Lincoln Day Dinner, one of the state party’s big fundraisers of the year. Last year they had 11 presidential hopefuls speak. This year was an understandably smaller affair, with their keynote speech given by Kris “Tanto” Paronto, an Army Ranger who was part of the team that responded to the Benghazi attack. Paronto fit the Republicans’ anti-Hillary theme of the night well. As Kathie Obradovich wrote, the evening was much more about opposing Hillary Clinton’s candidacy than it was promoting Donald Trump’s, even if RPI Chair Jeff Kaufmann stressed […]