Iowa Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Rob Sand blasted Gov. Kim Reynolds’ efficiency task force as partisan, vowed to veto changes to Iowa’s public pension system, and pushed for more oversight of private school vouchers at a Cedar Rapids town hall.
Iowa Republicans and Democrats offered prayers and condemned political violence after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday.
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.
At a town hall Thursday, Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand was pressed to define how he would protect transgender Iowans’ rights — drawing the sharpest exchanges of the evening and setting the tone for a wide-ranging discussion on water quality, education, school vouchers, mental health and child care.
Democratic gubernatorial candidates Rob Sand and Julie Stauch both say they would propose significant changes to the state program that provides taxpayer-funded scholarships for K-12 private school tuition.
This week on the podcast, we’ll talk about candidates entering and exiting races and last weekend’s story about the new approach some Iowa Democrats are using on the campaign trail. Plus, a special election in Western Iowa for a seat in the Iowa Legislature.
Iowa Democrats’ campaign speeches sound different this year as the party attempts to win back voters they have lost in the state over the past decade.
Plus, two more Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate, and how Democratic candidates are talking to voters thus far this cycle.
Candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and more are participating in the state’s time-honored tradition of greeting Iowans at the State Fair.
Plus, we discuss the continued messaging battle over the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” and Iowa Republicans taking on Rob Sand.
Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann kicked off a party fundraiser Friday by stressing to the crowd that Rob Sand, the Iowa State Auditor and only statewide elected Democrat, is “running away from his left-wing views” as he runs for governor in the 2026 election, which is more than 15 months away.
Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand, who’s running for Iowa governor in 2026, participated in his first day of RAGBRAI on Thursday, riding from Iowa Falls to Cedar Falls with Team Spare Tire out of the Iowa City/Coralville area. Once the ride was complete, Sand met with Cedar Falls Mayor Danny Laudick for a short tour of downtown.
Iowa’s economy had a rough first three months of the year, according to federal data. While Gov. Kim Reynolds blamed a sluggish farm economy and former President Joe Biden, state experts say Iowa’s economy has been struggling for much longer.
Abigail Maas will seek the Republican nomination for the job in 2026, setting up a primary challenge against Iowa Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer.
This week on the podcast, Donald Trump returns to Iowa, Rob Sand is going on tour, and a Western Iowa Republican primary field grows. Listen for a recap in this week in Iowa politics.
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