Iowa Starting Line

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

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. iowastartingline.com/news/healthcar…

An Iowa lobbyist was caught offering $100 cash payments—plus referral bonuses—to pack JD Vance’s Des Moines rally this week. The lobbyist works for an ethanol policy group whose top priority, E15 fuel, Vance championed from the stage. iowastartingline.com/news/politics/…

Ahead of #WorkersMemorialDay, the @AFLCIO's latest “Death on the Job” report highlights a growing crisis in workplace safety. From rising fatalities to cuts in enforcement, workers are paying the price. Read more: aflcio.org/dotj-2026

GR8 NEWS USDA has announced its relocating services to #1 ag state: IOWA Plans 2 establish new National Food Safety Center in Urbandale This comes after I kept pushing USDA 2 move positions + projects to Iowa This is expected to bring JOBS + significant investment 2 the region

🚨 USDA is announcing a reorganization of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) with the establishment of a new National Food Safety Center in Urbandale, IA, and a Science Center in Athens, GA. The reorganization does not impact FSIS’ frontline inspection workforce or any reduction in force. All FSIS employees will retain positions within the agency. 🔗 usda.gov/about-usda/new…

NEW from @patrynard: Rob Sand's strong campaign for Iowa governor has been years in the making. And his early success is in part thanks to how he snatched away two key advantages that Iowa Republicans used to work very hard to maintain. iowastartingline.com/opinion/how-ro…

Why does Rob Sand have a real shot to end a decade of one-party Republican rule in Iowa in his run for governor? A big reason is because he’s flipped two key advantages that Iowa Republicans used to hold online and in-person #IAGov iowastartingline.com/opinion/how-ro…

Claire Celsi, the Democratic state senator from West Des Moines died Monday after a bout with an undisclosed illness. She leaves behind her mother, Ellen, two daughters, a granddaughter, and a host of other friends, relatives and supporters. iowastartingline.com/2025/10/06/cla…

NEW: The Pentagon told journalists it will require them to pledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey. @washingtonpost washingtonpost.com/business/2025/…

Got up before dawn this Friday to go on CNN to talk tariffs and farmers and how not having a China trade deal (they have bought NO soybeans from us since May, they usually buy $13 billion) is going to devastate agriculture heavy states like ours. youtube.com/shorts/KWK3KEQ…

WHITVER TO RETIRE - Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Grimes, will not run for reelection. He said he’ll continue to see as Leader until Senate Republicans meet to select a new leader in the “near future.” Here’s the full release:

Radon exposure is fueling Iowa’s deadliest cancer iowastartingline.com/cancer-in-iowa… @amierrivers @IAStartingLine

@hinsonashley has rolled out some endorsements from top GOP US House leadership & some US Senators, but of note: @NunnForCongress (IA 03) and Iowa House Majority Ldr @Rep_BobbyK (son of Iowa GOP chair) have endorsed her early this eve.

"The Catholic Church, in this country, and around the world, has been one of the strongest organizations to speak out for immigration rights," - Senator @BernieSanders said during an Escucha Mi Voz Iowa forum on immigration in West Liberty on Aug 22. @IAStartingLine

In an exclusive interview with AP, the gymnast who reported sexual abuse by her former coach at an elite academy says she’s proud she never quit the sport and that her police report has made an impact. My latest on the new scandal rocking gymnastics apnews.com/article/gymnas…

From @IAStartingLine: "A taskforce appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds recommended eliminating the state pension system for new employees and replacing it with a 401(k)-style plan. Iowa DOGE’s proposal has sparked fierce, bipartisan opposition." iowastartingline.com/2025/08/13/iow…

New post: Iowa's DOGE task force will recommend merit pay for public schools. Randy Richardson and Bruce Lear point out that if they'd done their research, they would know merit pay has been tried multiple times in Iowa without success. bleedingheartland.com/2025/08/12/pla…

NORRIS 4 US SENATE - This morning, a Des Moines School Board member joined the race to take on US Sen. Joni Ernst. Democrat Jackie Norris has worked as a teacher but most notably was chief of staff to Michelle Obama in the White House.

Iowa House Republicans elect Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, as new House Majority Leader. He replaces Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, who stepped down as leader to run for Congress in what may be an open-seat race, as GOP incumbent Randy Feenstra readies a likely bid for governor.