Campaigns & Elections

Republican former Iowa U.S. Rep. Rod Blum is seeking a return to Congress, announcing Thursday he will run for the open seat in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District and pledging $250,000 of his own money to jumpstart his campaign.

Over the last 12 years, Chickasaw County has seen the second-largest shift toward Republicans in presidential elections out of Iowa’s 99 counties. Between 2012 and 2024, the county has taken a 47.9-point swing toward Republicans.

Jackson County, bordered by bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River to the east and cave networks, soaring rocks and hiking trails to the west, is among the Iowa counties that have shifted significantly to the right in the past decade. Here’s what residents there had to say about what’s behind the change.

Also in the Campaign Almanac, Democratic U.S. Senate candidates announce endorsements, a candidate for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District makes a fundraising announcement, and the League of Women Voters plans a candidate forum in Iowa City.

Howard County in northeast Iowa had the largest move to the right in the last 12 years. It’s a county that former President Barack Obama won twice and that went to President Donald Trump by more than 20 points in the last three elections.

Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson officially kicked off her U.S. Senate campaign in Cedar Rapids, pledging to be Trump’s “top ally” and targeting Democrats as “radical.”

Since 2016, thousands of Iowans have shifted away from the Democratic Party as the state morphed from purple -- a mix of support for Democrats and Republicans -- to a ruby red Republican stronghold. This story, the first in a series, shares some of the stories of that shift.

At a Cedar Rapids stop, Zach Wahls pitched his U.S. Senate run as a fight to “fix the broken economy by cleaning up corruption.” From child care costs to rent hikes, drug prices and gun safety, he linked pocketbook struggles to special-interest influence — and pledged to take no corporate PAC money.

This week, host Erin Murphy talks with Gazette columnists Althea Cole and Todd Dorman about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The panel also covers the latest news in Iowa politics with insights from reporters across the state.

Also, more Republicans rally behind Ashley Hinson’s U.S. Senate campaign

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ announcement that she will not seek another term in office creates an open seat for the 2026 election. It’s been nearly two decades since Iowa had a gubernatorial election without an incumbent. Here’s who is — and isn’t — running for the office.

Mayor, three council seats on November ballot as candidate filing deadline approaches