Politics

First responders have done a lot in the last year, and it’s taken as much from them as anyone else working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. To give back, and to keep them running, the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan include money specifically for mental health services. Last year, Gov. Kim…

A farmer from Crawford County with a family history of winning as a Democrat in rural Western Iowa announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Chuck Grassley today. Dave Muhlbauer, 37, a recent county supervisor and fifth-generation family farmer, kicked off his bid with a video that sought to redefine to Iowa…

If at any time last year you received unemployment benefits, a portion or all of those benefits will not be taxed. Iowa’s Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne worked with Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin (D) to add a provision to President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, the COVID-19 relief bill, that would waive the first $10,200 of…

Iowa legislative Democrats have criticized Gov. Kim Reynolds’ pandemic response since the early days of COVID-19 in the state, so the Governor’s Thursday night admission on national television that she returned $95 million in federal dollars meant for surveillance testing in schools was one more sign of complacency. “[Reynolds] has quit in the fight against…

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, one of Congress’s largest roadblocks during former attempts at passing military sexual assault legislation, is now set to vote on an influential, Democratic-led bill that would bar military commanders from involvement in prosecuting service members accused of sexual assault. During a Thursday press conference, the Republican admitted that she never wanted…

Iowa Representative Cindy Axne spoke for over an hour on Monday with Iowans about major legislation out of Washington aimed at boosting the state’s economy during the pandemic– help that is not supported by any of her fellow Iowa members of Congress. Over 600 people were listening into the telephone town hall during its peak.…

Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand on Friday told Iowa Press that he was considering a run for Governor or U.S. Senate, as well as reelection to the Auditor job, and spoke critically on the state’s GOP-controlled pandemic response. Sand, one of the only statewide Democratic leaders, said that he had no timeline for his decision…

Amid an ongoing examination of Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meek’s six-vote victory over Democrat Rita Hart, the 2nd District representative is expected to join House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Monday at the U.S. southern border. Axios reported that McCarthy will travel to Texas with “roughly a dozen Republican members to assess the growing crisis at the…

Sen. Chuck Grassley has begun fundraising for a possible Senate reelection campaign that some are still skeptical will actually happen. Punchbowl News reported this afternoon the longtime senator had started fundraising for his 8th term in office. Grassley would be 89 upon swearing in for his next term if he does run and win reelection.…

The Iowa State Education Association on Thursday called out Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson for making a political statement far from the realities of her district. The teachers union took to social media in response to a photo circulating of Iowa’s 1st District congresswoman wearing a mask demanding, “OPEN SCHOOLS NOW! Follow the science, not the…