Pat Rynard founded Iowa Starting Line in 2015. He still keeps a close eye on Iowa politics, his dog’s name is Frank, and football season is his favorite time of year.
Pat Rynard
Latest from Pat Rynard
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Iowa Can’t Fly Blind Through Coronavirus Crisis
Yesterday, the fear of exponential spread of the coronavirus became realized in Iowa: 23 new positive cases on Saturday were announced, by far the largest jump in one day. Today, there are 22 new cases, increasing Iowa’s total to 90. The previous biggest daily increase before this weekend had been nine, and most days saw…
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IA-01 GOP Candidate Celebrates Shutdown-Defying Bar Owners
A Republican congressional candidate took pride in mocking Gov. Kim Reynolds’ order to shut down all bars and restaurants this past week. Thomas Hansen, one of the two Republicans competing to take on Rep. Abby Finkenauer in Iowa’s 1st District, raised a beer in respect to a local bar that refused to shutter by noon…
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After Voting Against Relief, King Memes The Coronavirus Crisis
The deadly, global pandemic that has already sickened two of his constituents is a source of big laughs to Rep. Steve King. While King has had little to say in Congress about the coronavirus’ spread, his official political Facebook account has been a nonstop stream of memes about the virus since the crisis started to…
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How Local Iowa Election Officials Are Confronting COVID-19 Challenge
As the country grapples with a new way of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, many eyes are turning to how the United States’ elections system adapts to the new reality. Voters gathering in lines to cast a ballot at polling stations present an obvious risk for transmission of the virus, forcing difficult decisions that balance…
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Iowa Needs To Stop Recommending, Start Doing On COVID-19
Two minutes before I was about to publish this story, Gov. Kim Reynolds made a new announcement: she’s recommending Iowa schools shut down for at least four weeks to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. I’ll reword a few things, as the concerns I’ve had with Iowa’s response still largely stands. Part of the reason…
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Iowa Legislative Session Comes To A Halt Amid Coronavirus Spread
Iowa legislative leaders have decided to suspend the current legislative session for at least 30 days, as a measure to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. The decision comes a day after Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Public Health announced the first known community spread of the virus. A resident of Dallas…
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Iowa Legislative Session Comes To A Halt Amid Coronavirus Spread
Iowa legislative leaders have decided to suspend the current legislative session for at least 30 days, as a measure to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. The decision comes a day after Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Public Health announced the first known community spread of the virus. A resident of Dallas…
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Iowa Dems Postpone County Conventions; GOP Still On
The Iowa Democratic Party announced today that they will be postponing their county conventions, originally planned for next weekend on March 21, for a future date that is yet to be decided. “After extensive consultation with County Chairs, the State Central Committee, party leaders, and public health officials, we have come to the determination that…
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State Troopers Kick LGBTQ Students Out Of Iowa Capitol
LGBTQ high school students left the Iowa Capitol building in tears this afternoon, with some experiencing panic attacks on their way out, after state troopers forced them to leave because some had used Statehouse bathrooms of the gender they identify with. Iowa Safe Schools had organized a group of over 100 students today to lobby…
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State Troopers Kick LGBTQ Students Out Of Iowa Capitol
LGBTQ high school students left the Iowa Capitol building in tears this afternoon, with some experiencing panic attacks on their way out, after state troopers forced them to leave because some had used Statehouse bathrooms of the gender they identify with. Iowa Safe Schools had organized a group of over 100 students today to lobby…
