Iowa Starting Line

iowastartingline.comShannon Lundgren vouches for man convicted of child abuseFour days before a Dubuque County man was sentenced for child abuse, state Rep. Shannon Lundgren wrote the judge a letter on official Iowa Legislature letterhead vouching for his character.

20 Aug

Four days before a Dubuque County man was sentenced to lifetime sex offender registration for molesting a child, state Rep. Shannon Lundgren wrote the judge a letter on official letterhead vouching for his character.

iowastartingline.comPesticide drift could have ruined Iowa farmer's cropA Page County farmer's entire crop may have just been ruined by his neighbor's pesticide drift—and the only punishment is a slap on the wrist.

Iowa farmer Shad Swanson is an example that agriculture doesn't need to be all corn and soybeans. But pesticide drift from a neighboring farm may have destroyed Swanson's food crops, and he's not confident that damages will be paid.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand has broken Iowa’s record for fundraising by a statewide campaign, collecting more than $9.38 million from May 27 through July 14.

Sand’s campaign reported more than 33,500 donations from Iowans across all 99 counties, including over 2,400 contributions from registered Republicans. After expenditures, his campaign had nearly $18 million on hand.

Republican nominee Zach Lahn raised more than $6.3 million during the same period, including $5 million from the Republican Governors Association’s Right Direction PAC. Lahn’s campaign spent more than $5.9 million and reported about $1 million remaining.

iowastartingline.comSand announces 100 Iowa Republicans backing his governor bid"I don't know Zach Lahn from a hill of beans," said one of the more than 100 Republicans now backing the Democratic nominee.

22 June

“I don’t know Zach Lahn from a hill of beans,” said one of the more than 100 Republicans now backing Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee for Iowa governor.

iowastartingline.comZach Nunn wanted a Libertarian off the ballot. Here's what his campaign did about itA Nunn campaign operative warned Libertarian candidate Marco Battaglia to withdraw or face "legal action." Eight days later, she filed the challenge that knocked him off the November ballot.

22 June

US Rep. Zach Nunn took alternative routes to remove Libertarian congressional candidate Marco Battaglia from the November ballot when asking did not result in his favorable outcome.

iowastartingline.comHinson took $7K from Kalshi CEO while leading anti-prediction market crusade in CongressIowa's Republican Senate nominee sponsored legislation to crack down on political betting markets. Campaign finance records show she accepted a maximum contribution from the CEO of one of the country'...

17 June

Iowa's Republican Senate nominee sponsored legislation to crack down on political betting markets. Campaign finance records show she accepted a maximum contribution from the CEO of one of the country's biggest prediction market companies.

iowastartingline.comIowa researchers launch environmental testing programsUniversity of Iowa scientists are launching a research initiative to measure the impacts of exposure to environmental toxins.

10 June

Scientists at the University of Iowa are launching a major effort to measure exactly what environmental toxins like pesticides are doing to our health.

iowastartingline.comRob Sand picks western Iowa farmer as his lieutenant governor running mateDemocratic governor nominee Rob Sand has chosen Crawford County Supervisor Dave Muhlbauer, a fifth-generation farmer and cattleman from western Iowa, as his running mate. A pick to bridge the rural di...

8 June

Democratic governor nominee Rob Sand has chosen Crawford County Supervisor Dave Muhlbauer, a fifth-generation farmer and cattleman from western Iowa, as his running mate. A pick to bridge the rural divide.

iowastartingline.comMeet Zach Lahn: a Koch-connected political operative running for Iowa governorZach Lahn stood in front of excited supporters Tuesday night and declared Iowa doesn't belong to "the political class" or "lobbyists, special interests and

4 June

Iowa’s new Republican nominee for governor Zach Lahn campaigned as an outsider farmer fighting the political establishment. But before he was “Iowa First,” he was a Koch-connected political operative who barely met Iowa’s residency requirement to run.

Zach Lahn wins the Republican nomination for Iowa Governor. US Rep. Randy Feenstra conceded the race following a close contest. He'll take on Democratic candidate Rob Sand in November.

Rob Sand is the official Democratic nominee for Iowa governor after Tuesday's primary elections. Sand ran uncontested.

State Rep. Joe Mitchell has won the Republican nomination for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, according to the Associated Press. He'll face Democrat Lindsay James in the November election.

Incumbent US Rep. Zach Nunn will face Democratic nominee Sarah Trone Garriott for Iowa's 4th Congressional District. Nunn ran uncontested in the Republican primary.

US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks won her Republican primary against David Pautsch, according to The Associated Press. She'll take on Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan this November.

Republican Chris McGowan is the party's nominee for Iowa's 4th Congressional District. His candidacy was uncontested.

Lindsay James has won the Democratic nomination for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, according to the Associated Press.

Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan has won the party's nomination for Iowa's 1st Congressional District. As of her win, the Associated Press had not called the race for her Republican opponent.

US Rep. Ashley Hinson has won the Republican primary for US Senate, according to the Associated Press. She'll face Democratic nominee Josh Turek in the November election.

State Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott has won the Democratic primary for Iowa House District 3. She'll face incumbent Rep. Zach Nunn in the November election.

State Rep. Josh Turek is the projected winner of the Iowa Democratic primary. The Associated Press called the race at 8:42 p.m.

iowastartingline.comTrump endorses Feenstra for Iowa governor, despite GOP discontentPresident Donald Trump endorsed US Rep. Randy Feenstra for governor of Iowa on Thursday, just days before the June 2 Republican primary.

29 May

Just days before the primary, US Rep. Randy Feenstra got a coveted endorsement from President Donald Trump. A leg-up for a campaign that has struggled to maintain its lead.

iowastartingline.comHinson tells Republicans in Lake View DOGE isn't doneUS Rep. Ashley Hinson told a closed-door Republican gathering in Lake View this month that the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is still

27 May

At a closed-door event in Lake View, Rep. Ashley Hinson assured Republicans that DOGE is still very much alive. Iowa farmers have been living that reality for over a year.

14 May

Zach Lahn could become Iowa's next governor, but he sure likes spending time in Kansas. Read more from the Des Moines Register here: www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/p...

13 May

Zach Nunn campaigned at Mar-a-Lago while Iowa faces rising costs and steep revenue declines. Just what Iowa needs.

iowastartingline.comCenterville clinic to close in July amid growing rural healthcare concerns -MercyOne Ottumwa closed in February. MercyOne South Des Moines will close in June. Now a federally qualified health center in Centerville is closing this July citing the declining sustainability of ru...

12 May

MercyOne Ottumwa closed in February. MercyOne South Des Moines will close in June. Now a federally qualified health center in Centerville is closing this July citing the declining sustainability of rural health services.

Iowa Starting Line reposted

RAYGUN

@raygunsite.com

11 May

@iowastartingline.com : we fixed your headline. these men are the job creators Iowa needs.

americanjournalnews.comAdam Steen touts Iowa manufacturing despite outsourcing to ChinaSteen is a Republican candidate for Iowa governor.

12 May

Republican candidate for governor Adam Steen campaigns on bringing jobs back to Iowa, but his Christian hunting supply company outsources the manufacturing of its most famous product to China. Read more from American Journal News here:

iowastartingline.comNathan Sage drops out of US Senate race, endorses TurekNathan Sage, the Marine and Army veteran who was the first Democrat to enter Iowa's 2026 US Senate race, suspended his campaign Saturday, citing the grim

17 Feb

Nathan Sage dropped out of the Democratic primary for Iowa’s US Senate race, endorsing Josh Turek. This reshapes the 2026 Democratic primary as Turek and Zach Wahls duke it out to take on Republican establishment pick Ashley Hinson for the open seat.

iowastartingline.comJohn Deere recalls workers in Iowa after mass layoffsJohn Deere has recalled 245 workers in Iowa after mass layoffs. They'll be back on the job this month and next.

13 Feb

John Deere has recalled 245 workers in Iowa after mass layoffs. They’ll be back on the job this month and next. 150 of the recalled workers are going back to work at four Waterloo facilities.

13 Feb

US Rep. Ro Khanna raised an alarm about a redacted Iowa name in the Epstein files. According to an email to Epstein, the person mentioned ran for office in an Iowa Congressional District. Rep. Khanna says the redaction is a violation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Who do you think it is?

iowastartingline.comHinson, Miller-Meeks, Nunn back bill that could make it harder for married women to voteThe Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or SAVE Act requires Americans to provide documentary proof of citizenship at the time that they register to

13 Feb

The SAVE Act is a massive overhaul of the country’s elections. Iowa’s House delegation was part of the razor-thin margin that passed it. The bill could disproportionately impact eligible women voters.

iowastartingline.comIowa Republican bill would classify all abortions as homicideIowa Republicans have been pushing for years to make abortions less accessible to Iowans and criminalize their healthcare providers. This session, however,

10 Feb

Legislators have been happy to prosecute abortion providers in the past. But their new move is to target Iowans who get abortions themselves, classifying the procedure as a homicide.

The survey comes as Reynolds enters her final year in office and is not seeking reelection. Read more at the Iowa’s News Now and follow for updates.

Even though local civil rights laws protect against gender identity discrimination, Gov. Reynolds doesn’t want those protections to contradict her state law. Read more at Iowa Public Radio and follow for updates.

2025 had the worst gap in over a decade between farmers' operation costs and profits, Investigate Midwest reports. Read more here: iowastartingline.com/2026/02/06/f...

Iowa Republicans proposed a bill to criminalize abortion. If the bill passes, someone getting an abortion could be charged with a felony.

iowastartingline.comIowa Republicans push to eliminate school vaccine requirements, other sweeping changesIowa Republicans advanced legislation Wednesday that would make Iowa the first state in the nation to completely eliminate vaccine requirements for K-12

5 Feb

As measles returns to the United States, Iowa Republicans want to remove school vaccine requirements shown to reduce spread of deadly viruses.

3 Feb

Only one Midwestern state will get an early caucus slot—and Iowa is back in the race as one of the 12 states competing for just five spots. Read more at the Iowa Capital Dispatch and follow us for updates.

iowastartingline.comFeenstra leads primary in fundraising but faces grassroots backlashUS Rep. Randy Feenstra has an ideal perch in the Iowa Republican primary for governor.

3 Feb

US Rep. Randy Feenstra enters the 2026 Iowa gubernatorial primary as the fundraising frontrunner, but roiling discontent among Republican activists threatens to undermine his campaign.

iowastartingline.comICE actions in Iowa 'indefensible,' lied to court, judge saysA federal judge has criticized what he calls the “indefensible” actions of federal immigration enforcement agents in Iowa, ruling they illegally detained a man in the Muscatine County Jail and then at...

27 Jan

A federal judge ruled ICE illegally detained Iowa City resident Jorge González Ochoa in the Muscatine County Jail and then attempted to “cover their tracks” through misleading legal filings.

iowastartingline.comIowa congressional races see Democratic fields narrowIowa's two most competitive congressional races saw significant shifts this week as Democratic candidates dropped out, setting up clearer general election

26 Jan

Iowa’s two most competitive congressional races saw significant shifts this week as Democratic candidates dropped out, setting up clearer general election matchups against two embattled Republican incumbents.

iowastartingline.comA private equity firm bought this Iowa mobile home park. Now, residents say it’s sinking into the ground.Pamela Rodriguez paid more than $1,000 to level the ground underneath her mobile home when she moved into Lake Ridge Estates. Just a year and a half later,

26 Jan

A Utah-based private equity firm is slowly selling off its Iowa mobile home parks after years of resident complaints. In one Iowa City park that Havenpark Communities still owns, residents report ongoing issues with water contamination and soil erosion beneath homes.

26 Jan

Iowa state Sen. Catelin Drey has stage 1 uterine cancer. Announcing her upcoming hysterectomy from the Senate floor, she vowed to document her treatment journey and expose healthcare system failures.

iowastartingline.comIowa Dems release plan for paid family leave, $15 minimum wageIowa House Democrats unveiled a sweeping agenda Wednesday that would dramatically reshape the state’s approach to worker pay, healthcare affordability, and

20 Jan

Iowa House Democrats economic plan hits on a host of issues they say will help working families survive Iowa’s worst in the nation economy.

8 Jan

Democrat Rob Sand reports big fundraising haul with more than $9.5 million in 2025.

8 Jan

According to the campaign, nearly 97 percent of contributions were $100 or less, with an average individual donation of $74, and no corporate PAC money. That includes more than 1,200 registered Republicans from 98 counties and over 4,000 “no party” voters.