Josh Cook

 Pat Rynard sits down with Jeff Link about Holiday strategies for presidential candidates and an upcoming mayor forum with presidential candidates and mayors from around the country. Pat also talks with the Vilsacks about their recent decision to officially endorse Vice President Joe Biden for President, ahead of his eight-day “No Malarkey” tour through…

Only 14% of civilian workers in the United States have access to paid family leave, making America the only industrialized country in the world without a federal paid leave policy. Instead, it’s a state-level issue, with a mere seven states, and Washington, D.C., mandating it (Iowa is not one of them). The 1993 federal Family and Medical…

 Pat Rynard sits down with Paige Godden to talk about upcoming candidate travel during Thanksgiving and general reaction to the November debate in Atlanta, and implications going forward in Iowa and around the rest of the country.

Are the impeachment hearings moving many rural voters’ opinion of President Donald Trump? Short answer: they’re sort of not. Anti-impeachment sentiment has actually gotten stronger amongst rural voters in swing states over the last couple of months. One Country Project, an organization started by former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp to help Democrats understand how…

Health care advocate Robin Stone, who passed away in early November, will be honored at Progress Iowa’s 7th annual Holiday Party, with the “Marcia Nichols Progressive Advocate of the Year Award.” “Stone passed away in early November, but will always be remembered for her inspiring and powerful participation in our democratic process,” Progress Iowa said,…

 Pat Rynard and Patty Judge discuss the Des Moines Register’s new Iowa poll, candidate travel and more. Later in the episode, new Democratic candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick sits down with Pat to talk about jumping into the race, his background and policy focus, catching up and building his campaign.

Iowa Voices and Progress Iowa launched a joint project today called “Stories from the Heartland” that will give Iowans a chance to share their own story, in their own words. “Our personal stories are powerful and relatable, and we hope that other Iowans will want to lend their voices,” said Emily Holley, the Executive Director…

The Environment Protection Agency’s public comment period for review of its handling of the Renewable Fuel Standard is up at the end of November. After months of broken promises, farmers and biodiesel leaders in Iowa aren’t getting their hopes up about recouping the billions of renewable fuel gallons lost. “We have to see the results…

Health care in America has changed significantly over just the past few generations. One Iowan, Kathy Geronzin, has lived through these changes, and has seen the the quality of her health care affordability erode. “I have been lucky during the course of my life that I’ve always had health insurance as an adult, but I’m…