Who’s who in the Iowa Senate for 2017
The Iowa legislature’s 2017 session begins today with minor adjustments to business in the state House but massive changes in the Senate. After ten years of Democratic control, the last six with a...
View ArticleHow Paul Pate is spinning county auditors on his voter ID plan
Nearly three weeks after Iowa Secretary of State announced plans to push for new voter ID requirements, Pate still hasn’t produced a draft bill that would answer important questions about how his...
View ArticleRead Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate’s draft voter ID and election reform...
The Legislative Services Agency has drafted three bills fleshing out Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate’s proposals on voter ID and other changes to election administration, such as signature...
View ArticleAbsurd reasoning in action as Iowa Senate approves voter ID bill
Matt Chapman covers yesterday’s Iowa Senate debate on the voter suppression bill. John Deeth explained the key points of a Republican amendment changing that bill in several important ways. -promoted...
View ArticleBroad medical cannabis bill moving fast in Iowa Senate
A comprehensive medical cannabis bill received strong bipartisan support in the Iowa Senate Appropriations Committee today and could pass the full chamber as early as tomorrow. The big question now is...
View ArticleJournalists, stop validating Republican spin on voter ID
Later today, Iowa Senate Republicans will give final approval to a bill that could prevent thousands of eligible voters from casting ballots. A broad coalition of groups oppose House File 516, because...
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Iowa Democrats face incredibly difficult path back to legislative majorities...
Many Iowa Democrats expect to have the wind at their backs for the 2018 elections, due to surging progressive activism, an unpopular Republican president, and backlash against GOP lawmakers who used...
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Scratch Michael Bousselot off the list of possible GOP contenders in IA-02
Former Governor Terry Branstad’s chief of staff Michael Bousselot appears to be out of the running as a possible Republican candidate in Iowa’s second Congressional district. After mostly giving...
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IA-02: Christopher Peters set to run against Dave Loebsack again
Dr. Christopher Peters announced today that he will visit all 24 counties in Iowa’s second Congressional district next week “to speak with Iowans about his plans for the 2018 election.” Since I’ve...
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Six hints Iowa Senate Republicans didn’t fire Kirsten Anderson over work product
Iowa taxpayers are on the hook for $2.2 million dollars after former Senate Republican communications director Kirsten Anderson won a huge sexual harassment lawsuit last week. If Senate Republican...
View ArticleWho’s who in the Iowa Senate for 2018
The Iowa Senate begins work today with 29 Republicans, 20 Democrats, and one independent, former Republican David Johnson. I enclose below details on the majority and minority leadership teams, along...
View ArticleIowa Senate backs governor’s power to appoint new LG
The Iowa Senate has taken the first step toward preventing a repeat of last spring’s controversy over whether Kim Reynolds would have the authority to name a new lieutenant governor following Terry...
View ArticleIowa legislative recap: Constitutional amendments
Iowa lawmakers went home for the year on May 5. In the coming weeks, Bleeding Heartland will catch up on some of the legislature’s significant work that attracted relatively attention. Two proposed...
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Eleven Iowa Senate races to watch in 2018
Republicans are all but guaranteed to maintain control of the Iowa Senate after November and could expand their majority, now at 29 out of 50 seats. However, Democrats have a chance to pick up a few...
View ArticleGOP outspending Democrats in almost every competitive Iowa Senate race
As was the case two years ago, Democratic candidates are at a financial disadvantage in almost all of the Iowa Senate districts both parties are targeting. The disparity adds another challenge to a...
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Final look at nine Iowa Senate races to watch, with ratings
Few Iowa politics watchers doubt that Democrats will gain ground in the state House today–the only question is how much will the Republican majority shrink. In contrast, the Iowa Senate landscape could...
View ArticleKey GOP lawmaker not interested in limiting state auditor’s subpoena power
Republicans in Wisconsin and Michigan responded to recent election losses by limiting the powers of some Democratic statewide officials. GOP lawmakers are rumored to be considering similar legislation...
View ArticleWho’s who in the Iowa Senate for 2019
The Iowa Senate convened for its 2019 session on January 14 with 32 Republicans and 18 Democrats. A record eleven senators are women (six Democrats and five Republicans), up from six women in the...
View ArticleThe intersection of anti-choice warriors and misogyny
Matt Chapman: “The need to control women is what this is about, and the rage stems from a perception of impotency, caused by that lack of control.” -promoted by Laura Belin It was impossible to miss...
View ArticleIowa House bill would ensure more absentee ballots are counted
The controversial 2018 election result in Iowa House district 55 has inspired two legislative proposals related to late-arriving absentee ballots. The House State Government Committee on March 5...
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