KHOI's Capitol Week

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news from Washington, DC: the Trump administration's retreat on freezing K-12 education funds, U.S. House turmoil over the Epstein files, and work that may cut into the Senate's long summer break. They discussed two new Congressional candidates in IA-04 and one in IA-02; Senate campaign news related to Joni Ernst, Zach Wahls, Josh Turek, and Nathan Sage; gu...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news from Congress: the bill cutting $9 billion in spending, the potential impact on Iowa public radio and television, frozen federal education funds, Senator Chuck Grassley's handling of the Emil Bove nomination, Grassley's work to help Grinnell College avoid a tax hike, and House votes on the Jeffrey Epstein files, with comments from Representative Ashley...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Zach Nunn's bizarre trial balloon, followed by his retreat after speaking to President Donald Trump. They also discussed speculation about Joni Ernst's future plans, Ashley Hinson as a possible Senate candidate, GOP primary challenger Jim Carlin's first digital ad, a slew of endorsements for Randy Feenstra for governor, Mike Bousselot's hint about the gover...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks covered that monumental budget reconciliation bill from many angles, with a focus on the Iowa impact and role in Iowa's 2026 campaigns: taxes and the federal debt, Medicaid cuts and rural health care, defunding Planned Parenthood, cuts to food assistance, clean energy tax credits, more money for immigration enforcement, and new caps on student loans. They also discuss...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa angles on the big budget reconciliation bill, including how cuts to food assistance could cost the state tens of millions of dollars, and concerns Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn expressed over Senate language on Medicaid. Campaign stories covered include the death of an Iowa state senator and the coming special election to replace him, new Repu...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa political reaction to U.S. strikes against Iran, Christina Bohannan's campaign launch in Iowa's first Congressional district, and Ryan Melton leaving the race in the fourth district. They noted the Iowa House effort to call a special legislative session. Next, several stories related to immigration policy: the Trump administration's flip-flop on ICE ra...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa angles on the horrific political shootings in Minnesota. They discussed Governor Kim Reynolds' unsurprising veto of an eminent domain bill and its aftermath, her surprising veto of a bill the legislature had approved unanimously, and notable bills signed related to pharmacy benefit managers, gender-affirming care, funding for Iowa's 911 system, and pub...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with the governor's race, where Republican Eddie Andrews and Democrat Julie Stauch launched campaigns and Democratic front-runner Rob Sand highlighted the statewide economy and a small town's water problems. They covered the U.S. Senate race from several angles: a campaign manager and a GOP challenger for Joni Ernst, another Democrat looking seriously at the rac...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with the Iowa political event that became a major national news story: Senator Joni Ernst's reminder that "we all are going to die." Democrats pounced and J.D. Scholten moved up the announcement date for his own Senate campaign. Other topics covered: GOP talking points on Medicaid cuts, news from the first Congressional district and governor's campaigns, a Democ...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks review the week in Iowa politics, starting with the latest news from the 2026 campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate, and the Democrat who's running for secretary of state. They covered the Iowa impact of the Republican budget reconciliation bill from many angles: cuts to food assistance and Medicaid, access to health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, energy...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks recapped an extremely busy week in Iowa politics, starting with Randy Feenstra's moves toward running for governor, a hint about Brenna Bird's ambitions, monster fundraising and a high-profile endorsement for Rob Sand, and the GOP legislator who may run for Feenstra's seat in Congress. They spent much of the show on the closing days of the Iowa legislature's 2025 sess...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks had loads of 2026 campaign news to discuss. Rob Sand (D) launched his campaign for governor, Randy Feenstra (R) took the first step toward running for governor, Jennifer Konfrst (D) launched her campaign for Congress in the third district, her primary rival Sarah Trone Garriott (D) launched her first digital ad, Ryan Melton (D) is running for Congress in the fourth di...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with campaign news: State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott was the first Democrat to announce in Iowa's third Congressional district, two Republicans ruled out the 2026 governor's race, and the outcome of an Iowa House special election. Other topics covered: Republican drama over the state budget and eminent domain hanging up the legislative session; Bayer's efforts...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks begin with the legal battle brewing over the Iowa governor's ability to shield documents from public view. On the same day, the governor's office sued the Des Moines Register, and the ACLU of Iowa sued the governor's office. In both cases, the governor claims records can be withheld because of "executive privilege." Other topics covered include an update on a lawsuit...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks started with news from the 2026 campaign trail: GOP State Senator Mike Bousselot is exploring a gubernatorial campaign, Democrat Nathan Sage is running for U.S. Senate, and Kevin Techau and Travis Terrell are running for U.S. House. They also discussed what makes a credible candidate for federal or statewide office, and 1Q fundraising by Iowa's members of Congress. Ot...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the biggest Iowa political news stories, starting with fallout from Governor Kim Reynolds' announcement that she won't seek a third term: potential Republican and Democratic candidates, impact on the next elections for governor and down-ballot offices, and reasons for Reynolds' relatively low approval rating. Meanwhile, Democrats plan to target Iowa's second Con...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discussed Iowa reaction to President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs and their likely impact on the state's agriculture sector. The U.S. Senate confirmed Matt Whitaker to the most senior role an Iowan has received in the second Trump administration. Also covered: more Democrats considering a 2026 bid for U.S. Senate, why Bernie Sanders' campaign has a staffer on the g...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the week's top Iowa politics stories, starting with U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Locher blocking enforcement of Iowa's school book ban. Other topics covered include Attorney General Brenna Bird's unprecedented lawsuit against a county sheriff, reaction from Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst to "Signalgate," and Democratic State Senator Zach Wahls as...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks begin with Iowa angles on Trump administration news: Governor Kim Reynolds cheered the order dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, Senator Chuck Grassley dealt with angry crowds at his town halls, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks stuck close to the president, Attorney General Brenna Bird backed efforts to deport alleged gang members, and Trump's DOJ dropped a leg...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks review the week in Iowa politics, starting with the three Democrats taking a serious look at running for Congress in the third district, where GOP incumbent Zach Nunn is seen as vulnerable. Other topics covered: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's "town hall" in that targeted district, a special election for an Iowa House seat, the legislature's failure to approve K-12 scho...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover an exceptionally busy week in the Iowa legislature ahead of the first "funnel" deadline. They discussed new bills that popped up last week (not all of them advanced), and notable bills that are "alive" and "dead" in the areas of K-12 education, higher education, public libraries, energy policy, state government, health care, crime and courts, and elections. Othe...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks focused this week on the wide-ranging new Iowa law targeting transgender and nonbinary people. They discussed the key provisions, including some that have received little attention in other reporting. Laura described the atmosphere at the capitol, the House and Senate debates, last-minute maneuvering to secure House Republican support, the handful of Republicans who o...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the biggest news in Iowa politics, starting with an omnibus transgender discrimination bill that is on a fast track: what's in the bill, how it compares to earlier proposals, why Republicans are pushing this now, and what happens next. They also discussed bills moving forward related to abortion, higher education, legal immunity for pesticide manufacturers, an...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks start with 2026 election news: who is newly declared candidate Brad Sherman, and what are his chances in a Republican primary against Governor Kim Reynolds? Other topics covered: the candidates running in an Iowa House special election and legislative action related to school funding, other education policies, a pro-Israel resolution, hands-free driving, CO2 pipelines...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the week in Iowa politics, starting with Governor Kim Reynolds creating a new "Iowa DOGE" task force and testifying before the U.S. House Oversight Committee about government reorganization. Other topics covered: Iowa angles on Trump administration policies, cabinet appointees, and NIH grants, an Iowa House special election coming soon, a Republican primary ch...