Please consider joining Marilyn to help continue this work.

(Primary night in Iowa. One giant monitor with election returns, one journalist learning new technology in a new digital world, former Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, and former Iowa House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl.)

Let’s do it live!

Sometimes, you try something new and plan/hope/pray that it works. Fortunately, Jennifer Konfrst and Matt Windschitl agreed to try it with me. What a unique experience.

Konfrst is the former house minority leader. Windschitl is the former house majority leader. Konfrst is a Democrat. Windschitl is a Republican. They both ran for Congress this year before dropping out.

They also had a strong relationship —both as professionals and as friends — formed when they led their respective caucus during the legislative sessions. And on Tuesday night, they demonstrated their knowledge of the issues, election process, and primary election candidates for Iowa viewers across the state as we did 2 1/2 hours of live streaming coverage together for Gray Media Iowa’s television stations.

Their chemistry was a blessing. I really appreciate their insights. Both will be finishing up their term in the Iowa House. I will be curious if we will see one/both of them on a ballot again.

That has been reinforced now that we have had time to think about what happened on primary election day in Iowa and what it means for November’s general election.

What my head was telling me on primary election morning: “Randy Feenstra will become the Republican nominee for governor of Iowa. It’s a no brainer.”

Why Feenstra? Feenstra is a three-term congressman, represents the most heavily conservative congressional district in the state, raised the most money, received high profile endorsements from people like former Governor Terry Branstad and President Donald Trump, and is much better known that the other four primary challengers.

What my gut was telling me: “Zach Lahn has ‘it’ in this race.”

Why Lahn instead of Feenstra to win the nomination? No other Republican candidate for governor had the energy, enthusiasm, and crowd sizes that Zach Lahn attracted in the final weeks of the campaign.

Feenstra is also connected to an unpopular Congress, does not have the natural public speaking skills that other successful candidates often display, and he failed to successfully connect with primary voters on what his vision for the state was.

Lahn is a “change” guy. Republicans have dominated Iowa elections for more than an election. Perhaps, a Republican “change candidate” could be the party’s best message communicator to voters who may seek new priorities after the party has already prioritized lowering taxes, streamlining government, and changing the education system.

“Ignore your head. Believe in your instincts.”

Lahn the nominee

Lahn was a rookie politician. However, he was not new to politics. He has previously worked on a handful of local and state campaigns, as well as for Americans for Prosperity, the Libertarian-leaning, limited government organization founded by the Koch brothers (Lahn’s second wife had been previously married to one of the founder’s sons).

I had wondered if Lahn had enough time to win over the voters he would need to earn the nomination. His decision to commit at least $2 million of his family’s money to the campaign helped speed up that process.

Lahn is also talking about issues in ways that some Republicans have not prioritized in recent years, especially water quality and the state’s cancer rate. He is charismatic and engaging with an audience and versed on social media.

He will have to further explain his views on immigration, farmland ownership, and taxes as he now campaigns before a general audience rather than Republican primary voters.

Yes, I agree that Lahn could be more challenging for Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand to defeat in November than Feenstra.

Questions…

—I understood why Feenstra skipped debates, but I didn’t understand why he didn’t make up for it by blanketing the state with events.

I also didn’t understand why his campaign focused so much on praising President Donald Trump throughout the campaign.

Rewind: Despite Feenstra telling me that he would publicly endorse a presidential candidate before the 2024 Iowa Caucuses, he never did. That meant that he never endorsed one of Trump’s challengers. But, of course, he also never endorsed Trump either.

Fast forward: Feenstra eventually earned Trump’s endorsement on the Friday before Tuesday’s primary election. But I question how many voters supported him solely because of the Trump support. (I also remain curious which person/people convinced Trump that he had to endorse Feenstra. I doubt that Trump was thrilled that he chose a losing candidate.)

—I never understood how state Sen. Zach Wahls’ campaign arguments versus his Democratic challenger for the U.S. Senate, state Rep. Josh Turek, would lead to the nomination. It is understandable that Wahls would be frustrated that $10 million or so in outside money backed Turek. I’m sure Wahls would have loved to get that support instead of his opponent.

There was no realistic way that Wahls could raise that amount of money and offset it with ads of his own. Wahls complained about Turek being U.S. Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s candidate and that he wasn’t an “insider.”

Maybe that was his only play to do the “us vs. them” theme. But it always seemed to difficult to see how Wahls could get the support he needed to win on that theme. It turned out that it was, and he got beat nearly two-to-one.

Turek — a Democrat who previously won in a Republican-leaning legislative district in Council Bluffs — also seemed to be a potentially more difficult opponent in the general election against U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee compared to Wahls — a Democrat who has won in a solidly Democratic district in Johnson County.

Buckle up: Turek vs. Hinson and Lahn vs. Sand could be two doozies in November.

The value of President Trump’s endorsements

Finally, I’m not sure what I think yet about this BBC article that questions whether President Trump’s influence is waning.

If we just focus on Iowa, Feenstra’s primary election loss showed that there are limits to a Trump endorsement.

However…

Trump also endorsed Hinson (she dominated her race) in the U.S. Senate Republican primary over former state sen. Jim Carlin of Sioux City.

Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller Meeks of Ottuwma in her primary re-election campaign versus her repeat challenger, marketing consultant David Pautch of Davenport (MMM dominated that matchup unlike two years ago).

Trump endorsed Clear Lake real estate businessman Joe Mitchell in the 2nd Congressional District primary over state Sen. Charlie McClintock of Alburnett (Mitchell dominated that race).

It might be difficult to measure exactly how much Trump’s endorsement impacts voters in the primary. We might have a better idea of the value of Trump’s name in the November election results.

No one may have a bigger impact on how voters view the two major political parties than Trump…even though his name is nowhere on the ballot.

Please consider joining Natalie, Rebecca, Matt, and Marilyn to help sustain our work here.

(Image created with Google Gemini.)

Primary Election Day has arrived in Iowa. My 10-year-old daughter, Lyla, asked me what the primaries were. We are a family who loves and plays sports. So I compared this day to the National League and American League Championship Series in baseball or the NFC and AFC championship games in football.

This is the day where the two leagues —a.k.a political parties — decide which teams play in the World Series/Super Bowl/General Election.

She seemed to understand. I will save an explainer for what a caucus is for another day:) Let’s play ball!

Primary Day questions

As a thank you to paid subcribers, I will share what has me most curious to see in the results after the polls close and the key questions that I will want to answer. You can find that at the bottom of this column.

Late campaign developments

There were a lot of things that happened over the final week of the Iowa primary campaigns. One of the five Republicans running for governor, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, got some public help from Terry Branstad, Iowa’s longtime governor who has been battling serious health issues.

Feenstra’s campaign tried to help itself with the “sex toy” ad against the campaign that could be surging at the right time, Zach Lahn.

And then to the surprise of many — especially since it came so late in the campaign — Feenstra got the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

The endorsement of Feenstra was one of a handful that President Trump made as he tried to influence some of the state’s biggest races.

Hours after Trump’s endorsement announcement, Lahn announced what he hopes can also be a big endorsement.

There was a lot of discussion this cycle about how Feenstra refused to debate his opponents. But there were several others who also made that decision, and they all had one major thing in common.

They key number to watch as the returns come in on primary night will be 35, especially in the governor’s race. That story also includes an interview with Doug Gross, a former candidate who could get flashbacks in 2026 about what he went through in 2002.

Iowa Democrats are focused on the primaries. But they also want to make sure their caucuses can once again become prestigious again…and become number one.

Best of luck to all the primary candidates and the campaign staffs and volunteers who work tirelessly on their behalf.

Now, let’s get to the questions I have about the final primary election results. Paid subscribers can keep reading below:

Read more

(Image created with Google Gemini.)

O.K., there have been some allegations, complaints, and criticisms about the two debates I have moderated recently (GOP candidates for governor and Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate). What happened? What did I see?

Paid subscribers can read that at the bottom of this week’s column.

Money, money, money

How much does money matter? Next week we may find out in two of Iowa’s marquee races. Will the eventual nominee in the Republican race for governor and Democratic race for U.S. Senate also have the campaign bank account that is top dollar?

GOP candidates for governor

U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra was the perceived front runner among the GOP field for governor. However, in the previous fundraising period, he was not the fundraising front runner.

Feenstra fell $240k short of the campaign donations that Zach Lahn of Belle Plaine reported ($980k vs. $739k). Although, Feenstra does still have the overall fundraising advantage over Lahn by $1.9 million ($5.04 million vs. $3.14 million).

Lahn’s total haul puts him about $2.1 million above Adam Steen of Runnells. However, about two-thirds of the money that Lahn has raised came from himself.

Does the most recent fundraising period show a lack of enthusiasm for Feenstra? Social media chatter — for what that’s worth — believes so.

Feenstra chose to skip debates and joint appearances with the rest of the field. His play-it-safe approach does not charge up the Republican base.

But will that matter on June 2nd, or will he still top the necessary 35% to clinch the nomination while the other four contenders split the anti-Feenstra vote?

Meanwhile, State Auditor Rob Sand, the Democratic candidate for governor, has raised nearly $28 million (about $12 million came from his family).

Republicans complain about the $12 million Sand received from family members. But even without help from his inlaws’ family fortune, Sand has still raised about $16 million, which is more than triple what Feenstra raised and more than all five Republicans for governor collected.

Does that surprise you?

Several other things before we talk debate…

—Iowa’s new property tax legislation is now law (although, the provisions don’t begin yet). Here’s how Republican leaders think the new law will benefit you.

—MAHA comes to Des Moines. This was my first time covering RFK, Jr. in person.

—Our Iowa Down Ballot Podcast also shared what we saw as Iowa’s MAHA bill became law. Plus, here’s what we noticed during the final debate with the Republican candidates for governor (most of the candidates). Watch here.

—”Nope.” It doesn’t sound like Gov. Kim Reynolds plans to tell Iowans more about why the man she hired to lead the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System. Here’s why.

—Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack serves as a keynote speaker next month in the state for hundreds of farmers and investors. But will a key question affecting something that launched when he was the nation’s U.S. Secretary of Ag get answered before the hundreds of guests show up?

—How long before we see the higher fuel prices that followed President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran fully impact our food costs?

—Are Republicans in the U.S. Senate taking a stand against the Trump administration’s plan to use $1.8 billion in taxpayer money to go to people who feel wronged by the Justice Department, or will they come back from their latest break to show support for what Trump wants to do for his loyalists?

—Bryan Torres toiled for 11 years and almost gave up on his dream before his mom told him to try one more time. His persistence (and wisdom to listen to him mom) led to an incredible debut in the Major Leagues for the St. Louis Cardinals.

OK, let’s talk about that Republican candidate for governors’ debate, the missing candidate, the allegations another candidate made, and whether this debate can launch someone to the nomination or eliminate someone.

This is additional content for paid subscribers as a thank you for your support.

Read more

Independent journalism is not easy. There are no billboards, no ads on TV, and no celebrity influencers hyping our work. This only works because of you. My family is deeply appreciative of your commitment.

But if you are a social media influencer who wants to hype my work, feel free to hype away!

(I didn’t get to take a pic of the debate featuring the Iowa Republicans running for governor. So, I asked Google Gemini for some help.)

The past week has been a whirlwird. I moderated two televised debates in three days. Wowza! That was a first for me. That means two weeks of planning, researching, and anticipating what candidates may say and how they may say it as I think through what issues are most important to primary voters.

The first debate took place…live…Thursday. It featured the two Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate, state Sen. Zach Wahls of Coralville and state Rep. Josh Turek of Council Bluffs. Here’s a link to the full debate.

The second debate features four of the five Republicans running for governor. You can watch it Tuesday night from 6:30-8 p.m. Find it on KTIV.com, KCRG.com, KWQC.com, or KCCI-TV/KCCI.com. (Note: we recorded the debate on Saturday.)

I will share what I saw, heard, and thought about those two debates later this week.

Meanwhile, our newest Iowa Down Ballot Podcast had an in-depth conversaton about the second and final Turek and Wahls debate.

Here’s what got my attention lately:

"Blended families are complicated." — Zach Lahn in Des Moines Register interview

—Zach Lahn flies back and forth between Iowa and Kansas and splits time in his two homes. Lahn and his current wife, Annie, were married to other people (Annie had been married to a son of one of the billionaire Koch brothers) when they co-founded a private school in Wichita). They divorced their spouses and later married each other.

They have seven children in their blended family. The Des Moines Register’s Brianne Pfannensteil detailed Lahn’s flight history and interviewed Lahn about how he travels between the two states to raise his children.

Questions: How many Republican primary voters think differently of a candidate who has been divorced and/or a candidate who has split time between two states as he campaigns for governor? How many primary voters will commend Lahn for his dedication to his children, which allows some of the kids to remain living in Wichita and still be able to grow up having their dad active in their lives?

Another thought: I wonder how many people would hold this against Lahn if they also support President Donald Trump, a man in his third marriage.

Lahn, Part II

“What I've invested in is not a sex toy,” Lahn said in a Des Moines Register interview. “It's a grade two medical device.”

Brianne Pfannensteil posted another story about Lahn. This time, it concerns Lahn’s previous investments in a men’s sexual health company.

Question: There are no allegations of illegality. Will any Republican primary voters refuse to support Lahn because of his investments in a company focused on improving men’s sex lives ?

Wahls’ other job

In another sign that an election is approaching soon, we also have a new ethics complaint filed against Wahls. The complaint by a Turek supporter calls into question Wahls’ work for a political organization, The Next 50, that supported new Democratic candidates for office.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette’s Tom Barton posted this story about the complaint.

At question is whether Wahls violated any Iowa Senate rules by working for The Next 50. Wahls denied that he broke any senate rules and that he received prior guidance from Iowa Secretary of the Charlie Smithson.

Questions: Will the Iowa Senate Ethics Committee make a decision about this before the June 2nd primary? Will the complaint give any Democratic primary voters any concerns, or do they see this as a politically motivated complaint a few weeks before the election?

Steen’s threat claim

On Monday the campaign of Adam Steen, the Runnells Republican businessman and pastor who is running for governor, released a statement that he had received a death threat a week previously about his event in Osklaloosa.

Steen blamed the “left.”

Watching Iowa

Who knows if the Iowa Caucuses will ever get the national attention that they once did, but the state’s races in 2026 sure are.

The Democratic U.S. Senate race now features endorsements from three past presidential candidates. Three!

Former U.S. Sec. of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Iowa’s former longtime senator, Tom Harkin, both endorsed Turek. And U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts campaigned in Iowa for Wahls.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune campaigned in Iowa and raised money for Rep. Ashley Hinson’s Republican U.S. Senate campaign. And Vice President J.D. Vance held an event to support Republican Rep. Zach Nunn’s re-election campaign.

Plus, there will be tens of millions of outside dollars spent on Iowa races, especially the one to fill Sen. Joni Ernst’s seat.

Outsiders…and their money…are watching Iowa.

I hope everyone avoided the damage from the latest round of severe weather.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for supporting this column.

Politics are only one focus from some of the other writers of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. You can also read their latest insights on Iowa’s food scene, media, humor, poetry, and business. Please support everyone you can.

Please consider joining Ray here if you believe in what we do here.

Subscribe now

Sleep and caffeine are likely must haves for Iowa legislators and Statehouse staff this week after Republican leaders pushed them to work around the clock over the weekend.

I got to see how they made the sausage, nearly 34 straight hours of it.

(Image created with Google Gemini.)

Finishing their legislative session by the weekend was an arbitrary deadline. Lawmakers had already missed their self-imposed 100-day end to the legislative session on April 21st. They were also months past the early goal of getting property tax and eminent domain restrictions decided.

Wear ‘em down

The decision by Republican legislative leadership to keep members working this weekend was designed to wear down legislators and force compromise. And they got it in some areas and couldn’t find it in others.

Leadership found out that Republican senators were not going to agree to eminent domain restrictions on the carbon sequestration pipeline like many House Republicans wanted despite threats from a group of Republican senators.

Voters will have their say on the issue this November when they decide which lawmakers should represent them next year.

Property tax changes

The House got its 2% cap on the maximum yearly increase that local governments could receive in property tax revenue and refused to raise the gas tax like some in the Senate wanted. The Senate got the tax increase that it wanted on multi-residential dwellings.

Rents didn’t decrease like supporters claimed when lawmakers passed previous property tax cuts for those multi-residential structures a decade ago. Let’s see what happens to those rents now that the property owners will pay higher property taxes.

Let’s also see how local governments handle the revenue limitations and how property owners look at the changes that the new legislation will enact.

Bleary-eyed lawmakers also agreed to the final parts of the overall $9.6 billion budget for the coming year.

Out of view

Much of the action of the weekend cram session happened outside our view in private meetings. From time to time, I would see Senate Majority Leader Mike Klemish, House Speaker Pat Grassley, and their key staff head to a room out of our view to work out deals on the remaining key issues.

Meanwhile, the rest of the legislators would sit and wait. Delivery drivers and clerks were busy bringing stacks of pizzas, drinks, sandwiches, and other meals. Lawmakers dozed off at their desks, on the benches in the chamber, or out of sight in offices.

(Empty pizza boxes and other discarded snacks that overflowed a trash can outside the Iowa House.)

The strain

I wondered about the physical well-being of being forced to stay awake for nearly two days, especially for the lawmakers 75+. Is this healthy?

Some of the legislators privately grumbled to each other and not just Democrats. But overall, I never witnessed lawmakers “crash out” at anyone, despite the mounting fatigue.

The decision

The calendar had been working against legislators. Some members had upcoming medical treatment. Others had weddings, graduations, or other family and job commitments.

Some had already let leadership know they would not be available after the weekend. That could have also played a factor in the leadership decision to plow straight through the weekend in the overnight hours.

But it’s difficult to wonder after watching eyelids and heads droop and listening to the snores that echoed in the chamber at times, how this physically and mentally excruciating process of staying awake for so long is the best way to make decisions that impact billions of our tax dollars and dozens of other policy choices.

It was an up close look at how lawmakers make the legislative sausage and not a view most Iowans get to see. If they did, I wonder if they would order this up again.

Dedicated dad

(State Representative Matt Rinker. Image courtesy: Iowa House Republicans.)

In the Senate, leadership no longer allows the media to sit in the desks on the floor and instead makes us work in the upstairs gallery during the session.

Working on the floor provides much greater access to lawmakers. It’s also easier to see and hear what is happening.

On “media row” in the Iowa House, I sit near state Representative Matt Rinker, a Republican from Burlington. I saw Rinker arrive “late” for debate early Saturday evening. The House had gaveled in around 8:30 a.m.

Rinker didn’t miss much, though, since most of the votes would happen later.

Rinker didn’t show up hours after some of his colleagues because he slept in. Far from it. He fulfilled an obligation to his family of seven. Rinker told me that he got up at 4am at the family home in Burlington, drove nearly four hours to Chicago for their pre-planned trip, drove back nearly four hours to drop off his family in Burlington, and then drove 2 hours and 45 minutes to the Statehouse.

He wanted to be there to fulfill his job as a lawmaker. But he also wanted to keep a promise to his family that he had made before he knew that lawmakers would need to work nearly two weeks longer than their scheduled end of the session.

However, driving long distances is not uncommon for Rinker. He commutes to the Statehouse during the session. No, I don’t mean that he drives from a rented apartment or hotel room in Des Moines.

During the session, Rinker leaves from his family’s home in Burlington around 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday, drives 2 hours and 45 minutes as he takes constituent calls and calls from his businesses, works at the Statehouse during the day, and then he drives back home 2 hours and 45 minutes to be at home for his five children.

He doesn’t make it back for dinner each night, but he at least has the chance to make it home before the kids go to bed.

So, you may want to excuse him for catching a quick nap on a bench in the House early Sunday morning during yet another downtime while leaders met in another room.

A friend sent me video of Rinker sleeping that aired on KCCI’s morning news. I told him that, yes, I knew who this legislator was. But I also knew that people might have a different impression of why Rinker was asleep once they heard the whole story.

I know that I did.

Thanks for reading. And thanks for supporting our work here.

—Here’s the latest Iowa Down Ballot Podcast where Kathie Obradovich, Laura Belin, and I talked about the first Republican gubernatorial candidate debate and a water quality plan from Governor Kim Reynolds and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig that emerged during the session’s final days.

—Here’s my TV story on what Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told Iowans about the upcoming November election as he headlined the Iowa Faith & Freedom Spring Dinner Friday night.

—Here are a few other bills that Iowa lawmakers approved in the marathon weekend session.

—And here’s my Inside Iowa Politics show on the challenge that Zach Lahn had for U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra and the three other Republicans running for governor.

I need to grab another cup of coffee before I get ready for Vice President J.D. Vance’s Des Moines event Tuesday afternoon followed by the first U.S. Senate debate with the two Democratic candidates. I suspect that I’m not the only one dragging a bit after a weekend like I have not experienced in my 20+ years of covering the Iowa Legislature.

Have a great week.

Please consider joining Bruce, DJ, and Ken to support our independent journalism here.

Subscribe now

Brad Zaun, a former mayor and Iowa legislator, told me that he’s glad that he isn’t in politics any more. Republicans running for governor in Iowa have two prime-time chances to show (or not show) why they should be Randy Feenstra’s top competitor in the primary. Vice President J.D. Vance is headed to Iowa (hello, 2026 and 2028). And Iowa lawmakers look wrap up their overtime session in the next week (or maybe not).

(Small Business Administration Great Plains Region Administrator Brad Zaun. Photo courtesy: SBA.)

Back with the SBA

When Brad Zaun was in his early 20s, he had a dream to open a hardware store in Urbandale. He didn’t have the money. And he couldn’t find a lender. Zaun found the financial foundation that he needed from the Small Business Administration.

Four decades later — after his defeat for his state senate seat to Democrat Matt Blake in 2024 that temporarily left him crushed— Zaun is once again connected to the SBA. He serves as the Regional Administrator for Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska.

Zaun can thank his early support in 2015 for Donald Trump in the Iowa GOP Caucuses (Trump lost to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who returns to the state next week) for his job. Zaun bonded with Trump and earned the nickname ‘The Marlboro Man.’

We talk about that nickname that has stuck with Trump for nearly a decade now, why Zaun is now glad that he is no longer in politics, and what he tries to do at the SBA after losing 43% of the staff.

Watch that conversation here or read the short version.

Audition Time…Twice

Tuesday night brings an opportunity that we have not yet seen in 2026: the Republican candidates for governor can take part in a live debate on Iowa PBS. The last I heard state Rep. Eddie Andrews of Johnston, former state Rep. Brad Sherman of Williamsburg, and former Iowa Dept. of Administrative Services Director Adam Steen of Runnells are set to take part. I am curious if Zach Lahn, the farmer and businessman from Belle Plaine, will show up.

If Lahn skips a debate(s), he misses a chance to show why he should be the main alternative for Feenstra as we discussed in this week’s Iowa Down Ballot Podcast.

Friday night brings the second chance for the Republicans to win over primary voters before June 2nd: the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s 26th Annual Spring Kickoff in Clive. Organizers say that all five Republican candidates for governor have confirmed their attendance.

This appearance is not a debate and a much different dynamic for the candidates in front of the several hundred social conservative activists. Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann moderates the 1-on-1 discussion with the candidate quintet.

I will be curious how Kaufmann sees his purpose Friday night. How specific will he push candidates to be on issues or will this largely be a thematic discussion about faith and purpose? Will the candidates, particularly Steen, use this evening to target Feenstra as he has done this campaign? And if so, how will that go over with the crowd?

VP Visit

Vice President J.D. Vance is scheduled to headline an event for Turning Point USA at Iowa State University Thursday night. Erika Kirk — widow of Charlie who founded the organization to mobilize younger conservatives — is also scheduled to attend the rally.

The visit comes during an interesting time in Iowa politics. Republican candidates have dominated elections in this state for a decade, including Donald Trump in three straight general elections. Yet, the two most prominent races in the state for 2026: the races for governor and U.S. Senate (Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds is retiring and Republican U.S. Senator Joni Ernst is retiring) are essentially a “toss-up” according to polls and prognosticators.

Still seven months left. A lot could change. But building excitement with the Trump base (with Trump not on the ballot in 2026) could be key for Republican success this November. We will see if events like this one in Ames with Turning Point/Vance can help do that.

Golden Dome on OT

Having overwhelming majorities in the Iowa House and Senate has not led to an efficent legislative session that finished work for the year before the 100-day scheduled session ended last Tuesday. Lawmakers are still going.

Speaker of the House Pat Grassley expressed some optimism on Thursday that legislators could find final agreements (e.g., budget specifics and property tax reform) quickly enough to adjourn sometime next week (next week could be next weekend, of course.)

Is that realistic?

Big picture: I don’t know that the public cares much about when lawmakers finish up. Although, I assume lawmakers’ families, their employers if they have other jobs, and their farm fields would like to see them get back home soon. Still, it’s interesting that a party that has control of the agenda has not been able to get agreements sooner among its own members.

But it seems like Republicans have significant differences remaining on property tax changes. House Republicans insist on a “hard cap” that limits local communities from collecting no more than 2% additional property tax revenue each year (not counting new construction). Senate Republicans (joined by several Democrats) want a “soft cap,” so the locals have more flexibility during times of higher inflation like we continue to experience in 2026.

It appears that House Republicans also don’t want a gas tax increase to help the locals with road and bridge needs as part of their property tax plan. Perhaps, that gas tax proposal could take place in separate legislation. Although, I still question how many Republicans want to pass that in an election year, regardless of the crumbling conditions of rural infrastructure.

Here’s what changes financially for lawmakers since they didn’t wrap up in 100 days.

Saying Goodbye

The retirement speech this past week by state Senator Jack Whitver was sweet, funny, thoughtful, and gut-wrenching. Whitver has been battling a brain tumor for more than two years. He already stepped down as Major Leader and will not run for re-election for his senate seat as he continues treatment in the United States and overseas.

Whitver honored his family, staff, and colleagues in emotional speech on the senate floor. Here is the piece I put together. My family’s prayers are with the Whitvers.

One Last Thing

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is in a challenging place. He is a Republican who insists that elections are not corrupted by widespread fraud and that the election system does not need a federal government takeover by the Trump administration.

Here is my piece on how Pate and Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald (a Democrat) did a joint tour in Des Moines to calm concerns.

Thanks for reading. Thank you for supporting my work. Here’s the latest work from other members of the Iowa Writers Collaborative, a unique collection of independent contributors like none other in the country.

Please consider joining Dave at whatever level you can to sustain us in the months ahead.

Subscribe now

It’s too bad that there are not daily debates for the five Republicans running for governor in Iowa. Would be fascinating to see them respond in real time to whatever the big news of the day is, wouldn’t it?

(President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post, which he later deleted.)

How would they answer a moderator’s question to get their reaction on President Donald Trump’s social media post portraying himself as Jesus? Would any of them defend what Trump did? I think Republican primary voters would be interested in what they would have to say.

I have been curious how the Republican field would campaign about their vision for the state. After all, Iowans have elected a Republican as governor every four years since 2010 and have put Republicans in the majority of the legislative seats every two years since 2016. That’s some serious Republican dominance.

It also provides voters with a lengthy list of actions to judge when they decide which party’s candidates to support in 2026.

Zach Lahn, the farmer and businessowner from Belle Plaine, seems to be a Republican “change” candidate this cycle, according to the some of the issues he discusses. So, how does he thread a needle of calling for change without trashing Republicans who have been in charge of the state for years?

Here’s how he answered that question on “Inside Iowa Politics.”

I would like to know what likely Republican primary voters think of his answer and what else you want the candidates to answer between now and June 2nd.

I hope you have a great week. Talk with you again this weekend. Thanks for reading. And please check out the latest work from other members of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

Please consider joining Suzette to help us grow.

Subscribe now

(Image created with Google Gemini.)

Changing Election Day(s)

Iowa’s primary elections are June 2nd. If State Auditor Rob Sand has his way, future elections will look far different than they do in 2026. Among other things, Sand, the Democratic candidate for governor, wants the primaries to be more inclusive for Independents. I laid out what I understand of the changes Sand wants to make in this “Inside Iowa Politics.”

Iowa Down Ballot

Iowa’s Republican congressional delegation has largely stayed publicly silent about some prominent national matters later, the two Democrats running for the U.S. Senate were on the same stage this week (separately), and the Iowa Senate has a property tax plan (but what will the Iowa House do with it?).

Those are some of the main topics that we discussed on this week’s Iowa Down Ballot Podcast, a production of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

Difference of Opinion

Debates can offer voters a chance to compare the candidates head-to-head. But I question whether we will see U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and her Republican primary challenger, former state sen. Jim Carlin, share a debate stage before June 2nd.

Both have repeatedly expressed loyalty to President Donald Trump. I did find one issue so far where they have given me different answers regarding Trump: the idea of American troops on the ground in Iran. Here is what they told me.

Struggles Ahead

The decision to attack Iran has raised diesel prices $2 per gallon, some fertilizer 40%, and gas prices 30%. That has made life even more difficult for many farmers across the United States.

Here is what could happen next as I learned in this conversation with a man who grew up on a farm, still owns a farm, and works for a national company that has to weigh whether to loan money to farmers.

What the…Heck?

Cussing seems to be more prevalent in politics these days, doesn’t it? A few examples…

—I don’t ever recall a president swearing as much in public (and social media) as Donald Trump does. His Easter message is a prime example. Trump 2.0 seems to cuss more in public than Trump 1.0 (although, I haven’t found anyone officially tracking this).

—Nathan Sage swore in his opening video when he launched his Democratic campaign for the U.S. Senate in Iowa last year. It got him attention, but Sage later dropped out of the race after being unable to compete with state Rep. Josh Turek and state Sen. Zach Wahls.

—And then there is the video that state Rep. Dr. Austin Baeth, a Des Moines Democrat and possible candidate for higher office, recently released. It is that video that had me thinking more about this increase in politician’s choice of four-letter words.

Baeth has been frustrated with what legislative Republicans are doing/not doing (depending on the action) when it comes to water quality, the cancer crisis, Ivermectin over the counter…just to name three.

He responded to a Republican legislator’s claims that part of the reason why so many nitrates end up in the water could be because of spinach. Baeth disagrees…to say the least. And that brings us back to cussing.

What do you think of this video that Beath made?

Is this just a modern way to connect with people to get their attention? Is it politicians trying too hard for that attention?

What do you think?

Thanks for reading. Thanks for supporting independent journalism. Please check out other members of the Iowa Writers Collaborative and support their work. Have a great weekend.

(Rob Sand announces “Accountability for All” plan at his Des Moines campaign headquarters on Thursday.)

Taking a Break

It’s been a long Easter weekend for Iowa legislators. Not much activity under the Golden Dome Wednesday and Thursday as lawmakers instead opted to head home early. Tuesday marks two weeks left in their scheduled 100-day session.

The 100th day has no real significance other than it is the final day that they receive their per diem (extra money for lodging). When that additional money stops arriving, it can provide some extra push for legislators to reach final agreements and adjourn.

Perhaps, legislators with vacation plans, spring planting responsibilities on the farm, or primary opponents could provide a push, too.

Although, I’m wondering if we will see leadership send home members for several days in the next few weeks as committee chairs, top leaders, and the governor/her staff meet in Des Moines to figure out compromises on unresolved issues like the budget and property tax reform (is an eminent domain deal still a possibility?).

Sidenote: Congress is on break again. The country is at war and the federal government is not fully funded.

D.C. Invite, Disappointment with POTUS

Mark Mueller received an invite to head to the White House with several hundred other agricultural leaders across the country. Mueller, a longtime corn farmer from near Waverly, Iowa, and Iowa Corn Growers Association President, thought (hoped?) that a big announcement was coming for his industry.

It didn’t. And he was frustrated. He also told me how disappointed he is that President Donald Trump isn’t doing more to deliver what Mueller and his allies have been asking for (and Iowa’s GOP delegation frequently talks about as a priority). Here’s what Mueller told me.

U.S. Troops in Iran

An emerging foreign policy question has divided the two Republican candidates in Iowa’s U.S. Senate race. If President Donald Trump chooses to authorize U.S. troops on the ground in Iran, his decision could elicit mixed reactions from Ashley Hinson and Jim Carlin. Here’s my story.

No Kings Leftovers

No rally this weekend with millions of people. No “No Kings Day” events like last weekend. I saw this video from the “No Kings Day” rally of several thousand people last weekend in Des Moines.

I’ve been curious whether this rallies have staying power after everyone goes home each time organizers hold one. Is No Kings this decade’s version of Occupy Wall Street on the political left or the Tea Party on the right? Both attracted national attention and focused attention on several issues, but then they disappeared or morphed into other movements.

Will No Kings Day last at least through the November election? What is this movement all about? Is it a way for people mad/scared about Trump 2.0 to vent together? Will these large rallies convince the non-rally types to take a stand against Trump’s policies this November? Or is this a bunch of people who would just vote Democrat anyway?

I wanted to get an insider’s take. So, I talked with Jackie Cordon of rural Adams County. She and her husband used to lead church camps. These days she is a leader with Indivisible Iowa and volunteer organizer for No Kings Day events in her area.

Here’s why she believes that No Kings Day has an impact beyond the days when rallies happen.

Rob Sand’s “Accountability for All” Plan

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand released a plan that includes term limits, mandatory prison time for public officials convicted of embezzling tax dollars, age limits for elected officials, and a big change to the state’s primary elections.

I’m calling parts of this plan “generically specific” or “specifically generic.”

What the heck am I talking about? And what else, besides Sand’s plan, caught my eye this week?

Paid subscribers can keep reading below to find out.

Read more

Subscribe now

A last-minute rush to beat the deadline, a challenge, a denial, an allegation, a confession, a demand. That sums up what’s happened over the past two weeks in the Republican race for Iowa governor. Wowza! More on that in a moment.

(Image created with Google Gemini.)

Republican tax increases

How often do we talk about Republicans RAISING taxes? Not much, especially over the past decade. But Iowa Republicans have already increased taxes (temporarily) for one industry and are considering at least two other tax increases, while still prioritizing property tax reform (which they hope can lower or at least limit future property tax increases).

We looked at what’s behind the tax increase talk on this week’s “Inside Iowa Politics.”

Don’t ignore rural America

Brian Reisinger is a unique guy. He splits his time between Wisconsin and California, started as a newspaper reporter, worked for three U.S. Senators who either ran for president or thought about it, and he has written a book that unfortunately sums up life for too many farmers these days: “Land Rich, Cash Poor.”

His past experience in politics and current role in agriculture have him watching and listening closely to what politicians are and are not saying about life in smaller communities across the country. And he thinks that Republicans may not be focusing on what really matters to rural families, which could make the November elections difficult for them unless they change their ways.

Would more rural voters back Democrats instead of Republicans this November?

Check out our conversation on the “American Farmland Owner Podcast.”

The race

It’s not easy to explain all the twists and turns in the Republican race for governor. Eddie Andrews barely made the deadline to turn in his required signatures into the secretary of state’s office.

A man named David Bush filed an objection regarding some fo those signatures.

It turns out Bush wasn’t just a random concerneds citizen.

Adam Steen’s campaign eventually admitted that it helped Bush with his objection.

The State Objection Panel decided that Andrews did have enough signatures to get on the ballot.

Andrews claimed someone had stolen some of his signatures.

Andrews said that Steen wanted him to drop out of the race and endorse his campaign.

Andrews said Steen should drop out.

A few other candidates came to Andrews’ defense.

Now those were a busy two weeks! But we dove in during this week’s “Iowa Down Ballot Podcast.”

Thanks for reading. And thanks for checking out the other members of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

Apparently, there is room for thoughtful discussions in this world that aren’t just screaming and belittling. Please keep spreading the word about what we are building here.

A personal thanks to Linda, Mark, Jim, and Derek for becoming new paid subscribers! Please consider joining them.

Subscribe now

I’m a few days late with my weekend thoughts. But I have a good reason: I took some days off to spend with our kids for spring break week. I’m trying to enjoy every moment I can with them. Hayden is already a high school sophomore (only two more years at home?!) And Lyla is in fourth grade. The time goes by so fast!

(Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Photo courtesy: office of Gov. Walz.)

I realized this week (accidentally!) that Iowa State Senator Zach Wahls and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz are political homophones (you know, spelled differently but essentially pronounced the same).

I was writing a headline about Wahls but apparently had a flashback to the 2024 presidential campaign when I covered the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz ticket. So my apologies to those of you who read the headline, “Walz vs. Turek,” before it got corrected in the Iowa Writers Collaborative’s “Roundup.”

If only the Iowa Legislature would have passed that bill to bring part of Minnesota into this state, then maybe we could have seen a Walz vs. Turek matchup in 2026!

No, Minnesota’s governor is not running against Iowa State Representative Josh Turek for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Iowa in 2026.

Wahls vs. Turek in Democratic primary

However, Wahls vs. Turek could prove to be a fascinating matchup of a former Paralympian-turned-legislator versus a former teenager who made national headlines following an impassioned speech on the floor of the Iowa House of Representatives talking about his “two moms.”

Hinson vs. Carlin in Republican Primary

The Republican primary for that U.S. Senate seat doesn’t appear to be as competitive (at least as we look at it three months before the June election) as U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson takes on former state senator Jim Carlin of Sioux City.

The Iowa Down Ballot Podcast spent our weekly half hour show (give or take a few minutes) with an in-depth early look at the matchups. Watch/listen here.

Fore!

I met Josh Manske after an Iowa Writers Collaborative event at the Harkin Institute at Drake Univerersity a few months ago. Josh has led an unsual professional life. He starred as a high school golfer in Algona, Iowa, was a three-time All-American golfer at Grandview University in Des Moines (that place seems to win a national championship in EVERY sport!), and then toured as a professional across the globe.

An injury prematurely ended his career. Josh returned to the family farm. But in true 2026 agricultural style, he doesn’t “only” farm. We talked about his new life in the American Farmland Owner Podcast.

An Arrest 15 Years After Ashley Okland’s Death

I never met former Iowa realtor Ashley Okland. But 15 years ago, she got murdered a block from our townhome in West Des Moines. That was the first home Emily and I shared.

Emily and I both covered the investigation into Ashley’s death for our respective local television stations. I met Ashley’s brother, Josh, when family and friends dedicated an all-inclusive playground in her honor three years later in Des Moines. Josh seemed so genuinely appreciative for the good the park could bring out of such a horribly sad thing that took his sister’s life.

I have never understood how Ashley could have been shot in the middle of the day inside one of the model townhomes and her killer got away without anyone seeing the shooter escape.

An arrest of a suspect after so many years must bring many mixed emotions for Josh and the rest of the family. We now wait to learn more details of the investigation into what happened that day.

Thanks for reading. Please check out the latest work of other members of the Iowa Writers Collaborative, a growing group of independent journalists focused on Iowa. Have you ever heard about the “Vilsack Interns?” You would if you read this column by former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack.

Please also note that all paid subscribers are welcome to join the monthly Iowa Writers’ Collaborative’s Office Lounge on Zoom. It’s the last Friday of every month and it’s a lively conversation with Dr. Robert Leonard moderating. Please join members of the IWC and other paid subscribers for an unscripted conversation here.

Paid subscribers can read below why Terry Branstad, Iowa’s former governor, just gave me a political flashback because of what happened with U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra, the Hull Republican running for governor in 2026.

Subscribe now

Read more

If you haven’t already, please consider joining Roberta, Jackie, and Jim and help support what we are building here day by day, week by week. This is our conversation of civil curiosity to better understand what’s happening, why, and what we can do to better our communities.

Subscribe now

(Image created with Google Gemini.)

How are you feeling about Iowa’s financial situation? Tax cuts aren’t paying for themselves. The state’s heading toward another $1 billion+ budget gap year. Will these tax cuts pay off later, or have Iowa Republicans pushed the state toward financial disaster?

Paid subscribers can read my thoughts at the bottom of this column.

Meanwhile…

Deadline Day

Democrats and Republicans who wanted to run for political office in Iowa faced a big test: they had to submit the necessary signatures from Iowans for their paperwork with the Iowa Secretary of State’s office. There was drama.

The two perceived “front runners” in the race for governor had no real issues. Here’s what Democrat Rob Sand and Republican Randy Feenstra told me after they turned in thousands of signatures which they both claim shows their strength in the state. Also, see if you can notice them slipping in their campaign slogan during some of their answers in the latest “Inside Iowa Politics.” Watch that here.

Signed, Submitted, and Delivered

Here’s my story on the day three candidates submitted thousands of signatures for two high profile Iowa races. See that here.

And here’s my story from the next day when two other candidates turned in signatures for two top Iowa races. That story is here.

Missed It By Thaaaat Much….

Julie Stauch has worked on political campaigns for decades. But this year, she was the candidate. Stauch challenged Sand for the Democratic nomination in the race for governor. She turned in signatures on Thursday but apparently learned the hard way about not collecting enough extras just in case something went wrong.

Stauch acknowledged later that the secretary of state’s office notified her that she fell short in some of the required 19 counties (need at least 100 signatures in those counties). She will not be on the primary ballot. We did not yet know that when we recorded this week’s “Iowa Down Ballot Podcast” (a project from the Iowa Writers Collaborative).

But Kathie Obradovich, Laura Belin, and I broke down candidate deadline day and what we learned when the state’s three-person Revenue Estimating Conference lowered expectations for the strength of the state’s economic performance. Listen or watch our conversation here.

Just Barely…Maybe

Meanwhile, state Representative Eddie Andrews, the Republican from Johnston, just barely beat the 5pm deadline Friday to turn in his required paperwork for governor. Radio Iowa’s Kay Henderson has a fascinating report on the scramble to get the paperwork organized and turned in.

The big question for Andrews will be whether the secretary of state’s office determines this weekend that he has enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Final Thoughts…

Yes, I care about the World Baseball Classic. I credit my son for that.

No, I don’t know how patient the majority of Americans will be following President Donald Trump’s war with Iran.

Is this a model for how compromise should work? It involves flashing red lights.

Thanks for reading. Please help us grow by sharing this column with others.

Share

Paid subscribers can continue below with whether Iowa Republicans overpromised the benefits of tax cuts.

Read more

Please consider joining Erin, Andy, Mike, and Ann and become financial supporters at whatever level is best for you.

Subscribe now

Ernst with Trump

Ever since U.S. Senator Joni Ernst initially expressed a need for more fact-finding into allegations about Pete Hegseth’s past after President Donald Trump nominated him for Secretary of War/Defense (and Ernst faced threats plus talk of Elon Musk financing a primary opponent to run against her), Ernst has been a loyal supporter of the president. I can’t remember a time that she has publicly disagreed with him.

Ernst has done numerous national interviews praising Trump for his decision to strike Iran. I interviewed her this week 1 on 1 for the first time in more than a year.

Here is what she told me about why she supports Trump’s choice to begin this war with Iran, what she said the U.S. military’s role is in this coordinated strike with Israel, plus how she explains the sacrifice for American families.

Watch how she explains her support for Trump’s actions on this week’s “Inside Iowa Politics.”

War with Iran Leads to Deaths of Two Iowa Soldiers

The sacrifices are already evident in this war with Iran. Two Iowans are dead, six others from their Des Moines unit are also dead, and 9 colleagues are recovering after Iran struck their facility in Kuwait last Sunday. Here is my story about what happened.

And here is the picture that U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley posted with other members of the Iowa delegation and Governor Kim Reynolds when they attended the ceremony to greet the bodies of the fallen soldiers on Saturday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

(Image courtesy: Sen. Chuck Grassley.)

Signing In

Brad Sherman isn’t the frontrunner to finish first for the Republican nomination for governor in 2026, but the Williamsburg pastor and former state representative is the first candidate to turn in his signatures to the Iowa Secretary of State’s office to get on the June primary ballot.

Here’s what he told me about why he feels good about what he has done so far.

$1 Million

Why did U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra announce a $1 million ad buy for his race for governor in March?

We had some thoughts on this week’s Iowa Down Ballot Podcast, a production of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

***Paid subscribers can continue on to find out…

—Why I was surprised about Rep. Zach Nunn’s announcement that Pete Hegseth was coming to Iowa to headline a campaign fundraiser for him…

—And why I don’t see how conservatives can support what Kristi Noem did on the horse job as Secretary of Homeland Security.

Subscribe now

Read more

By the way, I like to give a public shoutout to show my personal thanks to all who subscribe, but I also want to respect everyone’s privacy. For example, “KO” has a uniquely spelled first name:) But please know, that I’m grateful for your support.

My sincere thanks to everyone who invests in this project. We also had a lot of new subscribers overall in the past week, so thanks to all of you!

Be part of what we are building by becoming a subscriber today at whatever level is best for you.

Subscribe now

(A picture from November 2023 when I interviewed Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, the morning after she endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for president instead of Donald Trump or anyone else in the Republican field.)

We now know that Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has used a state plane to travel to some events over the past year, an apparent change in practice from the past 35-40 years for a governor in the state. That doesn’t mean that this is a huge scandal, but it does raise some questions.

—Paid subscribers can check out my questions and see if you agree with them later in this column.

Question: Would you turn down $15 million for your land if you didn’t agree with what the buyer wanted to do with it?

An 86-year-old farmer did because the potential buyer had a much different plan in mind for the land that had been in his family for decades. This is the man who helped make sure to honor the farmer’s wishes.

Question: Do Iowa Republican legislators want to change the rules when there’s a budget standoff because of the recent federal government shutdown, or is it because they want to limit the authority of Rob Sand, a Democrat, is he becomes Iowa’s next governor?

We look at it in this week’s “Inside Iowa Politics.”

Question: Did President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address effectively lay out that the U.S. economy is roaring as he claims, or was he gaslighting reality and telling Americans what he wishes were true?

Question: Will you ever see a penny from the tariffs that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Trump illegally collected from American consumers and companies?

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley told me that consumers should get money back that they paid in higher costs because of the Trump tariffs, but it’s complicated.

Question: Are we are war with Iran?

I was not in the military and am not a legal scholar. Is it considered an act of war for President Trump to order the U.S. military to bomb Iran, which has resulted in the deaths of Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and scores of others?

What is confusing about Iran is that Trump said over the summer that the military’s previous strikes "completely and totally obliterated" Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities.

But this weekend more strikes were necessary because of Iran’s nuclear threat?

Trump has now removed two leaders…arresting Venezuela’s president and killing Iran’s. Russia’s Vladimir Putin remains in power.

Question: Does Congress have any role in approving military action that can lead to killing military/government leaders and civilians?

I welcome your thoughts. And thanks for reading. Please help spread the word about this column and others that you can find in the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

Now, let’s talk about some questions since we know that Governor Kim Reynolds is using a state plane to travel across the state.

Paid subscribers can join us for that story below.

Subscribe now

Read more

Show Me the Money

Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that President Donald Trump illegally levied tariffs, will he have to compensate American companies and consumers for their losses?

I have seen numerous clips from the past where Trump claimed that the federal government was collecting $18 trillion in tariffs.

(Image created with Google Gemini.)

For context: the federal government spent about $7 trillion for the year. So, if Trump’s claims were true, it means that his tariffs could fund the entire federal government. Congress could eliminate all personal and corporate income taxes (since the government would no longer need the revenue), and there would still be $11 trillion left over.

If all those numbers stay constant, we would pay off the entire $38 trillion in about 3 years. Nobody could have believed it, right?

Although, I can find no other source that justifies Trump’s $18 trillion revenue gain claim, have you?

Again, if Trump’s $18 trillion tariff gains were true, then how much should each American get repaid for the illegal tariffs?

If American companies and consumers paid 90% of the tariffs, that means they paid $16.2 trillion. I have no clue how the courts would force repayments.

For simplicity, let’s just say that Trump divides $16.2 trillion by 350 million Americans, that means that we each get $462,857.14.

That should help offset the higher prices that we’ve been paying, don’t you think?

For the record, I have seen numbers more like $175 billion collected in tariffs. If the process to collect the tariffs — regardless of whatever dollar amount is accurate — was illegal, then doesn’t it mandate refunds to those who were forced to pay illegal additional charges?

Future legal cases may help answer that question.

Iowa Delegation

It took all day and into the evening, but I collected responses from all 6 of Iowa’s Republicans in Congress on their reaction to the Supreme Court ruling.

• None called for refunds to Americans for the unlawfully collected tariffs.

• None responded, favorably or unfavorably, to Trump’s unprecedented allegations that the conservative justices on the court who ruled against him were “fools” or “lapdogs” or that the court “has been swayed by foreign interests.”

• None said that they would force him to work with Congresss on future tariffs rather than do it on his own.

Here is what they did say.

2026 Iowa Politics

The Democratic field in the Iowa U.S. Senate race shrunk by one this past week and that sets up a primary showdown. Here’s my story on that.

Iowa House Republicans’ proposal that would have resulted in a near total abortion ban appears dead for the year. And that’s why an announced public hearing on the legislation got cancelled the day before. Here’s my story on that.

Iowa’s first self-imposed legislative funnel deadline has passed (although, it’s not a true “funnel” or a “deadline”). Iowa Writers Collaborative colleagues Kathie Obradovich, Laura Belin, and I talked about the big developments of the week on the latest Iowa Down Ballot Podcast.

And an Iowan who offers a rare triple combo of farm experience (grew up on a farm, still operates a farm, has sold more than 100 farms in three states) shared what he thinks could be the state’s third crop. We talked about that and more in the latest American Farmland Owner Podcast.

Thanks for reading. Please check out the rest of the Iowa Writers Collaborative columnists here.

Feenstra Meets MAGA

U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra, the Iowa Republican from Hull, has had a challenging relationship with the MAGA diehards. It has dogged him throughout his campaign for governor.

Tuesday night, Feenstra stood in the middle of those critics as he visited the MAGA Nation Iowa event. It was an experience that he will remember for the rest of the campaign.

Paid subscribers can keep reading to find out why this event was so challenging for Feenstra.

Read more

Would you consider joining them?

(Image created with Google Gemini.)

On my mind…

Iowa’s Republican delegation may not have come up with the idea to launch a global trade war to renegotiate trade policies, but the state’s members of Congress will now be accountable for the results when voters make decisions in the November election.

President Donald Trump’s change of opinion may ultimately change local television newscasts in Des Moines.

and there’s a reason why baseball fans have been Googling the word “hamate” this week.

Paid subscribers get additional access to those stories below.

But first…

Unplugged?

I watched a fascinating discussion at the Iowa Statehouse this past week. Is it time to change the way people can buy an electric vehicle in the state? Should they be able to buy the EV directly from the manufacturer? Interesting dynamics since EV’s are competitors to ethanol, Iowa’s liquid gold to many.

Here’s an in-depth look at that discussion on “Inside Iowa Politics.”

Energy Choice

An Iowa senator-turned-renewable energy advocate knows what he thinks are the benefits for energy sources like wind and solar and what he has learned is the organized resistance to those sources.

Clean Grid Alliance’s Waylon Brown explained those two competing forces, plus how Iowa is different from some of its neighbors. Watch that conversation here.

Favorites and a Funnel

Several proposed bills by Iowa legislators had our attention this week. And I shared my unfortunate idea to try an unconventional television “standup” that included a funnel, motor oil, and a suit (spoiler: it didn’t end well).

Kathie Obradovich, Laura Belin, and I discuss it all on the latest Iowa Writers Collaborative production, “Iowa Down Ballot Podcast.”

Thanks for reading. Thanks for sharing these columns with others to help us expand our reach.

Tariff politics, changes to Des Moines local TV, and trouble with the hamate. Paid subscribers can continue on below…

Read more

Please consider joining Wayne, Pat, and TM at whatever level is best for you and get exclusive content from me.)

Numerous key Iowa races in 2026 are thinning out as donors and party leaders have helped to push out some of the challengers. And it is likely that we will soon see the number candidates shrink more later this month. I don’t like to overblow the importance of endorsements. But some endorsements over the past week could already be having an impact.

Plus, President Donald Trump’s recent social media “the Obamas as apes” escapade…along with its numerous explanations…demonstrate the challenging landscape that a close association with him can have for politicians and candidates.

Paid subscribers can read my thoughts on both of those developments later in this column.

(Adam Steen. Image courtesy: Adam Steen for governor campaign.)

Cheap Land for Sale

Would selling state land for $1 per acre help communities offer additional affordable homes for residents and provide a way for rural areas to grow? That’s the idea from Jacob Wasserburger. He’s a rookie legislator in Wyoming.

Here’s how he explains his idea to me, why he thinks that it can help counter huge private equity companies buying up single-family homes, and how he addresses the criticism that his idea has received. Watch our conversation here.

Also, I did some rough math. For a person to buy a home in Iowa (using a median home price of about $225,000) by not spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to make about $60,000 annually for that $1,500 monthly mortgage.

Good versus Evil

Adam Steen, the Runnels small businessowner and former director of the Iowa Department of Administration Services, has said numerous times that his Republican campaign for governor is partially about the battle of “good versus evil” that is going on right now.

What does that mean? I asked him in the new “Inside Iowa Politics.”

Purple Shirt People

There was a reason that dozens of people wore similar purple shirts Thursday at the Iowa Statehouse (unrelated: purple is my favorite color). Here’s what was behind the gathering.

Random Things on My Mind…

Right now, I have a friend battling tongue and lung cancer, another one living with Parkinson’s Disease, and a third with ALS. That’s yet another reminder for all of us to appreciate what we have, while we have it.

How do people who say they are so busy so easily find so much time to tell you how busy they are?

My son is about to take the test for his school permit, which makes me realize how much I will soon miss all those chats we had while I drove him to baseball practice, games, and tournaments.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for supporting this column. Please consider checking out the latest columns from other members of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

Paid subscribers are welcome to keep reading below to see what’s changed in key Iowa races for 2026 and why endorsements may be making a difference.

Read more

Please consider joining them to help sustain this independent journalism at whatever level is best for you.

(Photo that I took of President Donald Trump on stage at a rally in Clive, Iowa, on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.)

Over the past week, I have often found myself wondering what if…

What if…federal and local/state authorities in Minnesota worked together to deport violent criminals unlawfully living in the United States?

What if…federal agents were required to have warrants and show legal identification if they wanted to enter a residence or business?

What if…U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security and top White House adviser Stephen Miller waited until federal and state investigations provided them with evidence before labeling Alex Pretti a “domestic terrorist” and a would be “assassin after ICE agents shot him in Minneapolis?”

What if…those top White Office officials who appear to have defamed Pretti faced accountability for failing the taxpayers who pay their salaries?

What if…all elected officials waited like Iowa’s Republican congressional delegation did before passing judgement publicly about Pretti’s death?

(This week’s “Inside Iowa Politics” featured two of those Republicans on their responses to Pretti’s death along with why they aren’t calling for President Donald Trump to fire Noem and Miller.)

What if…Americans who show up to protest ICE’s aggressive actions do it without throwing objects at agents or physically blocking them?

What if…federal and state authorities had coordinated enforcement to apprehend violent criminals living in the country illegally in cities other than just those led by Democrats?

What if…everyone actually did listen to those leaders calling for everyone to “tone down the rhetoric?”

What if…all elected officials condemned threats, violence, and vandalism against any other elected official instead of just the ones involving their own party?

There are things happening in this country that are hard to process. I hope and pray that the week ahead is better for our country than the previous one that we just endured.

The Lawsuit

Question: Should taxpayers give $10 billion to President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization as part of their lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department for the unauthorized disclosure of Trump’s tax information?

The leak came in 2019/2020 and a former IRS contractor plead guilty to it in 2023. The Trumps are now filing the suit in 2026…six or seven years after that private information went public.

The Rally

Speaking of the president…He traveled to Iowa on Tuesday for the first of what his administration said will be many campaign-style rallies across the country leading up to the mid-term elections, a crucial check by voters of what they think of his return to office.

Covering a Trump rally is like nothing else. Paid subscribers can keep reading what I experienced at the event in Clive on Tuesday afternoon.

(Hint…if you’re not yet a paid subscriber, this would be a good time to become one:)

Read more

Please consider joining them at whatever level you can.

It has happened again. Protesters and ICE agents collided in Minneapolis. A protester died.

It was Renee Good on January 7th. On January 24th about a mile from where the ICE agent killed Good, it was Alex Pretti.

Pretti apparently had a gun. But was his weapon a threat to ICE agents or was he actually holding a phone before he got shot multiple times?

(Alex Pretti. Image courtesy: va.gov)

This can’t continue. It’s protesters versus ICE. It’s Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vs. President Donald Trump and his administration. It’s the question — legally and morally — of when, how, and why lethal force by federal law enforcement should be justified.

What happens next? Minnesota law enforcement and federal law enforcement should investigate everything that happened before, during, and after the ICE agent killed Pretti. Will the Trump administration allow Minnesota authorities to have access to evidence?

Americans deserve to know the facts. Will we get them? Or will we get more politics?

My question for you: What will de-escalate the tension in Minnesota?

What I Learned This Week…

—When you abbrievate the United Kingdom, UK is apparently appropriate and modern. U.K. is outdated. This is why I needed to know that this week.

—Iowa House Republicans, Senate Republicans, House Democrats, and Governor Kim Reynolds have all released their own property tax reform plans. House Republicans and Governor Reynolds seemed to be most closely alligned early on with their similarities.

—Speaking of Senate Republicans…Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh said that he is doing something really unusual: he is going to be the floor manager for his eminent domain proposal. This is inside politics stuff. But majority leaders usually have way too much other stuff to do; they prefer to have a member of their caucus lead a bill through the debate process.

But after the drama last year with legislation that could have made it more difficult for a private company to use eminent domain to force access on someone’s land to build a carbon sequestration pipeline…an argument that pitted Republicans in the house versus Republicans in the senate (and senate Republicans vs. each other)…Klimesh is taking the unusual step to lead his alternative proposal this year through his chamber.

Klimesh is this week’s guest on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS. I filled in as moderator for the legendary dean of the Iowa Statehouse press corps, Kay Henderson.

—I appreciate Iowa Speaker of the House Pat Grassley’s sense of humor and availability to answer questions from the Statehouse press corps week after week.

—President Donald Trump returns to Iowa on Tuesday. His visit brought a random conflict for my family. My daughter’s indoor soccer coach had emailed earlier to say they needed to find a new place for practice.

Now we know the reason why: It turned out that the reason for the late change is that President Trump’s speech is taking place in the complex where the soccer team sometimes practices.

—When President Trump comes to Clive, will he talk about Greenland? Or Iceland?

—I sat down for a 1 on 1 with Governor Reynolds. During our conversation she mentioned two people who reminded me just how unique politics is during this Trump era: Linda McMahon — who was once CEO of the WWE and now the U.S. Secretary of Education — and Dr. Mehmet Oz — longtime talk show doctor on television who is now current Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Interesting times indeed.

—Speaking of that interview with Governor Reynolds…We talked at length about her plans to do something about Iowa’s cancer crisis. Full disclosure: this is personal for both of us. My dad, Ron, died of lung cancer. Reynolds’ husband, Kevin, is currently in remission during his fight against lung cancer.

Watch that conversation here about her possible $183 million state commitment.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Thanks for staying curious.

One more thing for paid subscribers: Something makes me think that Governor Reynolds may not get the $10 million that she wants from the legislature.

Keep reading below to find out why.

Read more

I have lived in Iowa for 25 Condition of the State Addresses by Iowa governors (gulp!) But what I witnessed this past week was unlike anything that I have experienced. Later in this column, paid subscribers can read my behind-the-scenes account of what happened.

But first, an Iowa woman who is about so much more than gas stations.

(Sharon Krause. Image courtesy: In Harmony Farm)

When a lot of people hear the name “Krause” in Iowa, they might think of Kum & Go, the regional convenience store chain that the family once owned. But Sharon Krause is focused on far more than fueling up commuters and road trippers.

I have been especially curious about creative leaders like Sharon over the past two years since I started hosting the “American Farmland Owner Podcast.” It has made me think a lot about how we grow our food, how we find opportunities for producers besides the mass production of corn and soybeans, and how we connect fresh, health food with families, especially those who don’t have a lot of money.

Sidebar: What did you make of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ assertion that eating healthier is affordable. “It can cost around $3 a meal for a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, corn tortilla and one other thing,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told NewsNation Wednesday.

I assume that most of us would agree that people in our country overall could eat healthier. But I think any of us who have experienced what it is like to buy groceries when money is tight also know that eating healthier can also get more expensive.

But back to Sharon Krause…she has an engineering background and was once an organic sheep farmer. Family demands left no time for the sheep. But several years later, she got back into farming near Earlham. And it is unique, both in its commitment to the environment and to the farmers of tomorrow with its training program. It you care about locally produced food, helping to make sure that small farmers have a real chance, and celebrating someone who is selflessly committed to others, then I think you will enjoy my conversation with Sharon.

You can find that here.

Speeches, Speeches, and More Speeches…

The first day of the 2026 Iowa legislative session with speeches by top lawmakers, the annual Condition of the State Address by Iowa’s governor, the annual Condition of the Judiciary Address by the Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice, and the yearly Condition of the Guard address by the leader of the Iowa National Guard.

That’s a lot of speeches. And that’s what the first week of the legislative session is.

1 on 1 with Kim Reynolds

I sat down with Governor Kim Reynolds for a 1 on 1 interview. I will release parts of that interview in a series of stories. The first one gets her to explain why she is focused on property tax changes as the top priority of her final year in office, why she thinks it is the state’s role to get involved in this, and her response as to whether local leaders support any of what she is proposing.

You can get the specifics of what she wants to do and watch our conversation here.

Two Top R’s

Of course, members of her own party will determine what priorities from Governor Reynolds’ wish list make it through both chambers. House Speaker Pat Grassley and new Senate Minority Leader Mike Klimesh told me what this debate on changing property taxes could look like. See what they had to say on this week’s “Inside Iowa Politics.”

Quick Thoughts…

—Would love to know what U.S. Senators are telling President Donald Trump in private regarding any threats to send American troops into Greenland to take that country by force.

—Thinking of two friends this week. I’m very thankful to one for reaching out and meeting for coffee. We hadn’t seen each other in two years. That’s way too long. Another friend is dealing with a painful illness. She is in our prayers for a quick recovery!

—I feel bad for Brock Purdy’s former underrated quarterback. His 49ers got clobbered by the Seahawks Saturday night.

—Sad to see Nolan Arenado leave my St. Louis Cardinals. I’m happy that he gets to play for an Arizona Diamondbacks teams that has a chance to make the playoffs, unlike the Cards who could be awful. Too bad ownership didn’t go for it all in 2022 when Arenada had his best year and the team had Paul Goldschmidt and Albert Pujols also hitting like studs. Wasted what could have been a special year.

Thanks for reading and thanks for supporting this column.

Now, let’s get to what happened when the protesters showed up on the night that Governor Reynolds gave her annual Condition of the State Address and why the night was so unusual.

Read more