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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Compare Kim Reynolds’ Speech To Her Budget Proposal
Governor Kim Reynolds laid out her agenda for the 2018 legislative session this week, presenting a set of lofty goals that hit on topics that typically have bipartisan support. But as Joe Biden often said, “show me you budget and I’ll show you your priorities.” So, let’s take a look at the budget for Fiscal…
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Surprise! Iowa GOP’s Legislative Agenda Is Deeply Unpopular
There’s a debate going around in the halls of the Statehouse as legislators reconvenes for the 2018 session: will Republicans pull back on their most ambitious (and unpopular) ideas to try to save their majorities, or do they figure the trifecta is gone anyway after this year, and go all-out while they still have power?…
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Reynolds Reaction: Nice Words, But Doubts Over Action
Kim Reynolds gave the most important speech of her young term as Iowa’s first female governor, presenting the Condition of the State at the Capitol this morning. The Statehouse was packed with both supporters of the Republican governor and plenty of protesters and activists unhappy with the GOP-run legislature’s plans for 2018. Overall, it was…
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Kim Reynolds Unveils 2018 Budget Cuts For Issues She Praised
Just minutes after Governor Kim Reynolds wrapped up her Condition of the State address, a speech full of optimism and new plans for Iowa government, the Legislative Services Agency released their initial analysis of Reynolds’ budget proposal. Included in it is the governor’s $29.6 million in cuts for Fiscal Year 2018 to help cover the…
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Janet Petersen: “A Reckoning Is Coming” On Senate Sexual Harassment
The second year of Republican dominance at the Iowa Statehouse kicked off today, but not without some sharp words of warning from Democratic lawmakers. Legislative leaders gave their start-of-session speeches in their respective chambers this morning after gaveling in the new session, with Senate Democratic leader Janet Petersen delivering a particularly direct message to her…
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GOP Legislators Seem To Learn Lesson On Bizarre Bills
Republican legislative leaders were none too happy with Senators Brad Zaun and Mark Chelgren at the beginning of the 2017 session. Both of them had filed a handful of particularly odd or politically volatile bills at the beginning of the session, from ideas like women being able to sue a doctor that performs their abortion…
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Key Community Leaders Endorse Cindy Axne In IA-03 Race
As the Democratic primary for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District heats up, more candidates are rolling out new lists of endorsements in the seven-way field. Cindy Axne, a small business owner and community activist, announced this week the backing of over 40 community leaders in her bid to take on Republican incumbent David Young in the…
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Rob Sand Posts Record-Breaking $200,000 Haul For State Auditor Run
It looks like Iowans will see a hotly-contested race for State Auditor this year. Democratic candidate Rob Sand informed Starting Line that he has raised an eye-popping $200,854 in his bid for the oft-overlooked state office. Sand announced back in early November, so this fundraising haul for the 2017 report was accomplished in just seven…
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Republicans Basically Admit Kim Reynolds Broke The Law
If Governor Kim Reynolds’ new years resolution for 2018 was to not get sued, she failed that goal after just two days. If her new plan is for that lawsuit to be unsuccessful, she probably didn’t like what she heard from fellow Republicans this week. State Representative Chris Hall of Sioux City filed a lawsuit…
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GOP Running Scared In Sioux City Special, Place Big TV Ad Buy
Iowa Republicans seem rattled heading into a special election for a usually reliably-Republican Iowa House seat in Sioux City this month. Starting Line has learned they’ve placed a $35,520 TV ad buy to run from January 4 to January 9, and will likely spend even more for the final week of the January 16 election.…
