Ty Rushing

Ty Rushing is the former Chief Political Correspondent for Iowa Starting Line. He is a trail-blazing veteran Iowa journalist, an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and co-founder and president of the Iowa Association of Black Journalists.


Latest from Ty Rushing

  • Politics

    Katie Claeys is proud of her record on the Ankeny School Board

    Considering the turmoil that has surrounded the Ankeny School Board over the last few years, no one would blame Katie Claeys if she decided not to run for a second term. However, she is not afraid of a challenge. “We still have a lot of work to do,” Claeys said when asked why she was…


  • Politics

    Lya Williams wants to stop book bans, expand STEM in Johnston schools

    One of the first things you should probably learn about Lya Williams is that her name is pronounced Lee-Uh and not Lie-Uh. Another thing you should know is that she cares deeply about the future of public education in the Johnston School District. Williams has thrown her hat in the ring for a second time…


  • Politics

    Diversity question draws mixed response from Johnston School Board Candidates

    The demographics of the Johnston School District are becoming more diverse, which is why the district has tried to place an increased emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Part of the district’s mission statement is to “commit all district resources to guide the learning of all students to graduate as confident learners with…


  • Politics

    Johnston students’ well-being top issue for Soneeta Mangra-Dutcher

    Soneeta Mangra-Dutcher still has work to do, which is why she is running for a second term on the Johnston School Board. The 50-year-old mother of three Johnston High School graduates ran unsuccessfully for a board position in 2017 before she won a seat in 2019. The landscape around school board and school board races…


  • Politics

    State’s largest vouchers, book ban backers endorse in Johnston School Board race

    One of the most powerful social conservative lobbying groups in Iowa is getting involved in school board races, and the Johnston School District has emerged as one of its top targets. The Family Leader recently announced it endorsed conservative Johnston School Board candidates Josh Nelson, Lori Stiles, Charles Steele, and Michelle Veach. The organization plans…


  • Politics

    Six districts where right-wing candidates are bringing culture war to school board

    National politics set the tone for a fair amount of school board races in Iowa two years ago, and this year promises more of the same. The 2023 Iowa Legislative session saw Iowa Republicans pass a number of measures aimed at undermining and defunding public schools. Now, many right-wing candidates are running for their local…


  • Politics

    We went to Vivek Ramaswamy’s ‘Vektoberfest.’ Here’s what we saw

    As I sat on a park bench eating a bacon-grilled cheese sandwich, drinking an Exile Ruthie straight from the tap, and chit-chatting with a few folks, I almost forgot I was at a campaign event, which might have been the point. Ohio businessman turned rising GOP star Vivek Ramaswamy hosted “Vektoberfest” on Thursday at the…


  • Politics

    Tim Scott says kids need more exposure to conservatism

    While many Republicans across the country have spent the last few years arguing that public schools are being used to indoctrinate kids into leftist viewpoints and that politics should kept out of schools, US Sen. Tim Scott suggests conservatives should get their own political philosophies into those spaces. “Protecting our kids and encouraging our kids…


  • Politics

    Trump Went On Bizarre Rant About Sharks, Lights In Latest Iowa Event

    Would you rather get fatally electrocuted at sea or be eaten by a shark? Former President Donald Trump asked thousands of people attending his Ottumwa rally on Sunday to contemplate this thought-provoking question in the midst of a winding rant about electric vehicles.  The Republican presidential primary front-runner and defendant in four criminal indictments spanning…


  • Politics

    How Ashley Hinson made her kids’ school public enemy Number One

    The students and staff of the Linn-Mar School District are once again being used as a political punching bag by Republicans thanks to a local issue elevated to the national stage by Rep. Ashley Hinson. Hinson, whose two sons attend school in the district, has actively used her office and power to shine a negative…