Nikoel Hytrek is Iowa Starting Line’s longest-serving reporter. She covers LGBTQ issues, abortion rights and all topics of interest to Iowans. Her biggest goal is to help connect the dots between policy and people’s real lives. If you have story ideas or tips, send them over to nikoel@new.iowastartingline.com.
Nikoel Hytrek
Latest from Nikoel Hytrek
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NextGen Iowa Making Another Big Investment In Youth Turnout
While national attention is rightly focused on the 2020 primary race, that hasn’t stopped preparations for the general election in November. As with every election, people will focus on youth turnout, especially since young voters are a bloc of the voting population that trends more liberal than older Americans. NextGen America, founded by now-presidential candidate…
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Iowans Press Pete Buttigieg On Foreign Policy On Western Iowa Swing
In his first appearance since taking the lead in Iowa polls, Mayor Pete Buttigieg spent the past two days in Western Iowa, a conservative stronghold and sparsely populated part of the state. On Monday, he visited Red Oak, Creston, Atlantic and Council Bluffs. On Tuesday, he stopped in Denison, Storm Lake and Sioux City. There,…
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Messages Over Money: Buttigieg Not Worried About Bloomberg Cash
The criticism of money in politics continued when Mayor Pete Buttigieg journeyed Monday through Western Iowa. When asked for his thoughts on former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s entry in the presidential race, Buttigieg was diplomatic. “Well, [I’m] always glad to see another mayor run for national office, but obviously I think our message…
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8th Circuit Court Key To Abortion Rights In Middle Of The Country
In all the controversies about abortion bans and restrictions, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has played a big part. Missouri and Arkansas received most of the attention this year for laws to ban abortion at 20 weeks and 18 weeks, respectively. The bans haven’t gone into effect in either state, but both are…
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Andrew Yang’s Democracy Dollars Plan Aims To Empower Voters
Everyone knows Andrew Yang as the guy who wants to take on artificial intelligence and automation. To that end, one of Yang’s signature promises is the Freedom Dividend, which would give $1,000 a month to all Americans. But he’d also like to give people money to tackle a different kind of inequality. “Lobbyists and corporate…
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Iowa First State To Fly Trans Flag Over Capitol For Transgender Day Of Rememberance
For the Transgender Day of Remembrance, Iowa Safe Schools made history and flew the transgender pride flag at the Iowa State Capitol Building. Nate Monson, the executive director of Iowa Safe Schools, said it sent an important message to Iowans. “Doing something like having a flag flying over the Capitol is a message and a…
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Advocates Plan Another Push For Voting Rights Restoration
Of all the states in the country, only two permanently bar felons from voting and require them to petition the state to restore that right. One is Kentucky, the other is Iowa. Earlier in 2019, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds joined the effort to change Iowa law by amending the constitution to automatically restore voting rights…
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Iowans’ Views On Super PACs Could Hurt Candidates Who Take Support
In late October, former Vice President Joe Biden indicated he would no longer oppose super PAC money for his campaign, breaking ranks with the majority of the Democratic field. Rejecting money from corporate Political Action Committees has been one of the major campaign promises for candidates in 2020, and it has inspired a lot of…
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Iowans Will Feel Effects Of Supreme Court’s DACA Ruling
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments about an Obama-era immigration program currently protecting young undocumented immigrants. At the same time, demonstrators with the Iowa Dream Coalition assembled on the steps of the Iowa Supreme Court with signs and chants about protecting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals [DACA] program and the people within…
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Trump Has Now Appointed 25% Of Nation’s Second-Highest Judges
On Thursday, the Senate held more votes on President Donald Trump’s nominees to federal judgeships, with three new appointments marking a new threshold in his influence over the federal judiciary. Trump has now appointed 25% of circuit court judges in the country. Recently, Trump has emphasized that milestone in D.C. and on the campaign trail.…
