Government & Politics

Iowa U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst is serving her second, six-year term representing Iowa in the U.S. Senate and is up for re-election in 2026. She has not formally launched a re-election campaign, but her announcement Wednesday of a campaign manager sends a clear signal that the Republican incumbent is building an operation to run for a third term.

The Iowa City Council is moving forward with plans to put a 1 percent local-option sales tax on the general election ballot this fall. If a majority of voters give their approval, the tax could raise as much as $8-10 million each year.

The water quality concerns in were highlighted during a roundtable held by Democratic Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand’s gubernatorial campaign Tuesday at the Exira Public Library, where he spoke to local residents and officials.

Iowa’s senior senator said the U.S. Senate hopes to send the president a bill by July 4

Julie Stauch, of West Des Moines, is the third Democrat to formally announce her candidacy for governor, following state auditor Rob Sand. Stauch, a consultant with political campaign experience, publicly announced her campaign Tuesday.

District 1 is one of five Cedar Rapids City Council seats up for election this fall. The window for candidates to file to run for office opens Aug. 25 and closes Sept. 18.

Iowa poll workers will be allowed to challenge a voter at the polls on the basis of their citizenship status under new legislation signed into law Monday by Gov. Kim Reynolds. The new laws also make changes to election recount procedures in the state, ban ranked choice voting and make it harder for third-party groups such as Libertarians to qualify as a major political party in the state.

Also in the Capitol Notebook, a new warden has been named for Iowa State Penitentiary.