Zachary Oren Smith is your friendly neighborhood reporter. He leads Starting Line’s political coverage where he investigates corruption, housing affordability and the future of work. For nearly a decade, he’s written award-winning stories for Iowa Public Radio, The Des Moines Register and Iowa City Press-Citizen. Send your tips on hard news and good food to zach@new.iowastartingline.com.
Zachary Oren Smith
Latest from Zachary Oren Smith
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Auditor Sand proposes accountability measures, accountant incentive
Iowa Republicans have been at work limiting the powers of Iowa’s sole statewide Democrat Auditor Rob Sand. As the session opened, he released some proposals aimed at greater government accountability and addressing the accountant shortage. State Auditor Rob Sand won’t stop talking about PIE. His Public Innovations and Efficiencies program encourages local governments to find…
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Confident Republicans promise more of the same in 2025 legislative session, target local government
Republican legislators swaggered back to Des Moines with deeper ranks. Despite eight years of one-party rule, Iowa legislative Republicans say there’s more cuts to be made. The Iowa Capitol buzzed Monday morning, crowded with freshmen legislators jockeying for seat selections and bored family members waiting around for the swearing-in ceremony. With the sound of the…
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Republicans skip out on legislative forum
The Republican Party holds the reins of state government but skipped out on laying their priorities out in an open forum. Democratic leaders in the state House and Senate laid out opportunities for future work. Statehouse Republican leaders ghosted on an opportunity to answer questions about their plans for the coming legislative session. This was…
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Reynolds heads to Trumpland
After backing Donald Trump’s main rival Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican primary, Gov. Kim Reynolds heads to Mar-a-Lago with other Republican governors to bend the knee. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is off to President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach estate this week. Politico reported that this evening, Republican governors will dine with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. …
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Rita Hart reelected to lead Iowa Democrats in 2025
Iowa Democrats voted to reelect Rita Hart to lead the party for another four years. On Saturday, the Iowa Democratic Party’s State Central Committee elected its new chair, Rita Hart of Clinton, by what one voter called a “landslide.” She received 78 percent of the vote. The leadership election is obligatory within 90 days of…
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Iowa Democrats to pick leadership for 2025
Over the weekend, Iowa Democrats will convene to vote on a team to lead after bummer 2024. The Iowa Democratic Party’s State Central Committee will meet in Ankeny Saturday morning to choose its new officers to represent the IDP in 2025. The State Central Committee is a 53-member board. The majority are elected at district…
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Iowa Democrats eye opportunity in eastern Iowa special election
Following Sen. Chris Cournoyer’s elevation to lieutenant governor, there’s a vacancy in the state Senate. Local school board president Mike Zimmer is hoping to flip a seat back for Democrats. There is a special election looming in eastern Iowa. Senate District 35 was represented by Republican state Sen. Chris Cournoyer of LeClaire before Gov. Kim…
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Dubuque private school raises tuition by 58% after voucher expansion
As school vouchers become available to all Iowa families, parents at a large private school operator in Dubuque are experiencing tuition sticker shock. Administrators of Holy Family Catholic Schools met with parents this week over concerns about a tuition hike coming in the next school year. Every student from elementary to high school will have…
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🌽Cornhole Champions #1 – Recounting the count (with Derek Muller)
Iowa Democrats didn’t exactly get points on the board in 2024. But it’s not all bad news. Toss the bags with us as we get a temperature check on what a recount can—and more importantly, cannot—do. I don’t have to tell you that 2024 was not a good year for Democrats. But it wasn’t all…
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Longtime Iowa Congressman Jim Leach dies at 82
In a political environment marked by partisanship, former US Rep. Jim Leach, who died this week, pushed back on his party’s acceptance of Trumpism.
