Todd Dorman

State Rep. Ras Smith, D-Waterloo, has entered the race for the Democratic nomination for governor. On Tuesday I asked him a question that’s on the minds of a lot of Democrats as they’ve watched our once purple swing state turn bright Republican red.

Ideally, Government Oversight Committees oversee and investigate government decision making, especially by executive branch agencies. Maybe you’ve heard of checks and balances.

Our red-state, trailblazing governor claimed yet another cookie-cutter national culture war trophy this week.

For one, we need a governor who doesn’t choose campaigning over governing at a critical moment.

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Asking the Department of Natural Resources, under current management, to save even a waterway it’s dubbed “outstanding” is an exercise …

Bills considered and passed paint a picture of the Iowans the Legislature actually serves

Given all the talk this week about a Linn County gambling referendum this fall, I tried this past week to …

There are thousands of individual stories among Iowans receiving federal pandemic unemployment benefits. The pandemic, which is not over, has …

In many ways she still lives. Sometimes through my keyboard.

So the same governor who claims to care deeply for children’s mental health is also willing to dump on transgender …

Bureaucrats are coming for Iowa’s farm puddles again. OK, not really. But as the Biden administration surveys the environmental wreckage …

No Iowa governmental entity is talking about requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to conduct public business. Reports of Iowa businesses barring the unvaccinated also are not rolling in.

Attention good citizens: Be on the lookout for zombie bills as the legislative session rolls toward a merciful end. This …

If denial were a river in Iowa, it likely would be polluted by agricultural runoff. But, actually, denial is Iowa’s …