Week in Iowa

Incumbents survive primary: Two Iowa Republican congressional incumbents staved off competitive primary challenges from candidates who argued they would be the more conservative voice for Iowa in Congress. U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks won in Iowa's 1st District with 55 percent of the vote to challenger David Pautsch's 43.9 percent in Tuesday’s GOP primary. U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra won Iowa's 4th District with 60 percent of the vote to challenger Kevin Virgil's 39.6 percent, according to unofficial results.

Turnout for the primary was the lowest in several years, with only 8.3 percent of registered voters participating. The election featured primaries in three of Iowa’s four congressional districts, but there were no statewide elected offices on the ballot, a factor in the low turnout.

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Man accused in triple murder: A Marion man is accused in the slaying to three people and injuring another with a metal pipe Wednesday in an outbuilding in rural Marion. Luke Wade Truesdell, 34, is being held on a $4 million bail. Investigators said Truesdell told them about the possibility of the crime being made into a movie.

Iowa official signs voter roll contract: The Iowa Secretary of State's Office has signed a five-year, $4.8 million contract with Civix, a software company that specializes in government programs. The state will use Civix for voter registration, election management and election night reporting. The contract partially fills the gap after Iowa left a nonpartisan interstate voter roll maintenance group last year.

Iowa senators oppose contraception bill: U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley of Iowa joined most Republicans last week in opposing a Democratic-led bill to protect access to birth control nationwide. While Democrats warned GOP hard-liners pose a threat to contraception availability, Republicans said the legislation was a political “show vote” and that access birth control was not at risk.

Ernst has proposed her own bill, which has gained support in her caucus, to increase the access to over-the-counter oral contraception. The bill would direct the FDA to more quickly approve applications for over-the-counter birth control. Grassley is a co-sponsor, and Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson plans to propose a House companion of the bill soon.

Iowa AG resumes emergency contraception payments: Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird's office will resume paying for emergency contraception for victims of sexual assault, but the office will no longer pay for abortions. The announcement came after a 17-month review of the office's victim services division, during which Bird halted reimbursement for emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault.

Bird flu reported in dairy cows: Iowa officials reported the first case of the highly pathogenic bird flu in Iowa dairy cows in O'Brien County northeast of Sioux City last week. Bird flu has been identified in multiple chicken and turkey flocks since May and in dairy cattle in nearby states. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig said Iowa dairy farmers should increase biosecurity and limit visitors at their farms.

They said ...

“From the Senate to the White House, Democrats do not have anything to run on — no agenda that resonates with the American people. So instead they are fear mongering in the name of politics. Fortunately, Republicans have a solution.” — U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, on her bill to improve access to contraception

“I share Iowans’ priorities for the next Congress: securing our southern border, getting inflation and the cost of living under control, tackling the mounting national debt, making sure we have strong K-12 education, and addressing escalating conflicts around the world.” — U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, after winning Tuesday’s primary election

Odds and ends

Tax cuts touted: A study from a pro-business think tank says Iowa’s state income tax cuts will create an estimated 6,800 jobs in 2025 and increase the state’s GDP by $1.72 billion over the next decade. Gov. Kim Reynolds last month signed a nearly $1 billion tax cut into law that lowers the state’s individual income tax to a flat, single rate of 3.8 percent in 2025.

Transportation grant: Horizons, a Cedar Rapids nonprofit that provides transportation to school and work for people when public transit in unavailable, will receive a $358,000 federal grant from the 2021 federal infrastructure law, Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley announced last week. Grants also will go to the Iowa Department of Transportation for services in Marion, Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Story and Warren counties.

Water cooler

Workforce changes: Iowa Workforce Development Executive Director Beth Townsend testified last week before a U.S. House subcommittee on work and welfare, highlighting the state’s revamp of its unemployment system and its new return to work program. Townsend said Iowa modeled its Re-employment Case Management program after a similar federal program but offers faster help to those who’ve lost their jobs. The change has reduced the number of weeks Iowans are unemployed and saved money in the unemployment trust fund.

Out with the old: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds last week rescinded dozens of past executive orders issued by previous governors and herself that were deemed no longer necessary. The orders mostly deal with agencies that no longer exist, events that happened decades ago or issues that are superseded by state and federal law. She rescinded 62 executive orders and amended one, dating back to 1964 and spanning six governors.