What interests voters? Hundreds came one night to talk about Iowa’s health mental health care

Here's one way to determine what people - and by extension, voters - care about.

On a weeknight during the holiday season in the state capital, roughly 600 people attended events featuring discussions on Iowa's mental health care and it low-income health care systems.

Even in the state's biggest city, that's a lot of folks venturing out to hear about and discuss issues of the day.

It's a head count to which every state-level officeholder and candidate should pay close attention.

On Tuesday evening, the Des Moines Register and Des Moines University hosted a forum on mental health care issues with the candidates running for governor in next year's election. All 13 challengers appeared; Gov. Kim Reynolds was unable to attend due to a family vacation. Roughly 400 people were there.

At the same time, the state Health Department held a public hearing on its $5 billion Medicaid program. State officials listened to thoughts and concerns from roughly 200 people.

The concerns with the mental health care system are not necessarily new, nor are they confined to Iowa. States across the country are attempting to determine how best to serve residents with mental health care needs. Iowa recently shifted to a regional delivery system, which some advocates believe has helped.

But concerns remain over bed and physician shortages and stress placed on the law enforcement community, to name a few.

Concerns with Medicaid largely surround the shift in 2016 to privately managed care.

Some have expressed frustration that services, especially for those with high level of care needs, have been reduced.

Then this fall, one of the three private companies being paid by the state to manage the program dropped out, and one of the two remaining said it can take no more new patients.

There will be elections for legislators and the governor in 2018. The party primaries are in June, and the general election is in November.

It would seem the candidates would do well to discuss mental health care and low-income health care issues if they truly want to connect with Iowa voters on a topic that's clearly important to them.

tight race in Alabama

The special election for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama is headed down to the wire, according to the latest from the University of Virginia's Crystal Ball from Larry Sabato.

The race between Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones is a tossup going into Tuesday's election, the Crystal Ball said last week.

Much national attention has been paid to the race because of Republicans' narrow 52-46 advantage in the U.S. Senate (both independents caucus with the Democrats) and charges of sexual misconduct from multiple women against Moore.

Usually this would figure to be a safe seat for the GOP.

The Crystal Ball notes the polls, in aggregate, show Moore with a narrow lead within a typical margin for error.

'As the race enters its final days, there are reasons for optimism on both sides, though because of Alabama's conservatism, we suspect the Moore team may have more reason for it,” the Crystal Ball said.

A Minnesota vote?

Iowa's northern neighbor also could soon have a special election for a U.S. Senate seat after Democrat Al Franken announced this week he plans to resign in the wake of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.

If Minnesota winds up with a special election, the Crystal Ball says the race would start with a rating of 'leans Democratic.”

'The Democrats have a deeper bench of talent in the state and (Gov. Mark) Dayton will have the choice of several quality candidates to appoint,” the Crystal Ball said. 'The midterm environment, which should have a Democratic lean with President (Donald) Trump in the White House, helps Democrats in Minnesota, too.”

Erin Murphy covers Iowa politics and government. His email address is erin.murphy@lee.net.