KHOI's Capitol Week

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover top stories from the week in Iowa politics, starting with Democrat Mike Zimmer's shocking victory in a state Senate district that just voted for Donald Trump by 21 points. They also covered the unexpected passing of State Representative Martin Graber and legislative action on many bills affecting higher education, K-12 schools, criminal justice, health care, pro...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the the week in Iowa politics, starting with an appeals court ruling that kept a state immigration law blocked. They discussed Iowa angles on Trump administration news: Senate confirmations, inspector general firings, and January 6 pardons. Other topics covered: big fundraising numbers from the likely 2026 Democratic and Republican nominees for governor, a possi...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks share their favorite Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes and discuss lots of news from a busy week in Iowa politics, starting with Iowa angles on President Donald Trump's return to the White House. They dug into the many policies Governor Kim Reynolds is asking Iowa legislators to enact this year, some items on her wish list that didn't make it into her big speech, and...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the start of the Iowa legislature's 2025 session from many angles: what happened on the opening day, highlights from remarks by majority and minority leaders, two new committees created in the Iowa House, important dates for the legislature's work, some key issues lawmakers may tackle, how Iowans can follow what's going on at the statehouse, the changing demogra...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the biggest Iowa politics stories of the week, starting with the first actions of the new Congress. Other topics covered: candidates set for the Iowa Senate district 35 special election, a GOP rival's ad with a vulgar message about Senator Joni Ernst, Iowa Democratic Party state chair Rita Hart winning another term and outlining her plans, recent comments from I...

Laura Belin and Dennis Hart discuss President Jimmy Carter's legacy and how his 1976 campaign changed the Iowa caucuses. Other topics covered: former Governor Tom Vilsack's impending return to Iowa, President Biden's veto of a bill that would have added a permanent federal judge in Iowa, U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra's priorities for the next Congress, a possible spike in Iowans' health insur...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the top Iowa politics stories from the week, starting with Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and its longtime pollster, Ann Selzer. They also talked about how the Iowans voted on last-minute efforts to keep the federal government open and a Social Security bill, which divided the Iowa delegation in an unusual way. Other topics discussed: I...

Iowa finally has a new lieutenant governor. Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks talk about Chris Cournoyer's background and work in the Iowa Senate, what was and wasn't surprising about Governor Kim Reynolds' choice, political reaction to the new LG, and what the pick signals about the 2026 governor's race. Other topics covered: Reynolds backs using the National Guard to assist with deportations, pathog...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the intense pressure campaign U.S. Senator Joni Ernst is facing from MAGA Republicans. Joshua Smith has announced plans to run against Ernst in the 2026 GOP primary, and conservative influencers have floated other possible challengers. Also covered: comments from other Iowa politicians about Trump's picks, fewer women elected to the Iowa legislature in 2024, m...

Iowa's elections were certified on December 2, and Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the shift to Donald Trump, GOP gains in early voting, final results from the last races to be recounted, and the seven Iowa legislators elected in districts that voted the other way for president. Other topics discussed: counties with the highest and lowest turnout, dozens of ballots rejected, new leadership o...

It's two recounts down and two to go in Iowa's very close 2024 elections. Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the state of play and how Republicans expanded their Iowa Senate majority to 35-15. Other topics covered: newsworthy changes to Iowa House committees, a new Iowa Senate Democratic leader, Senator Joni Ernst's bet on the Trump administration's DOGE effort, Matt Whitaker's nomination as U....

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the four Iowa elections that are headed for recounts, how Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst will approach Donald Trump's controversial cabinet picks, and unsuccessful bids by Ernst and Mariannette Miller-Meeks for GOP leadership roles in the new Congress. Other topics discussed: challenged ballots in some counties, Ann Selzer's decision to stop polling el...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks explore many aspects of the latest red wave in Iowa, starting with Donald Trump's biggest win yet and the warning signs for Democrats. Also covered: what went wrong with Selzer's final Iowa Poll for the Des Moines Register, how Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn survived strong challenges in the first and third Congressional districts, future prospects for R...

Six of the last eight general elections have been Republican landslides in Iowa. Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks recap the November 5 results: how Donald Trump improved on his past performance, the outcome in all four Congressional races, and the GOP gains in the Iowa House and Senate. Other topics covered: Iowa's new constitutional amendments, judicial retention votes, and what Senator Chuck Grassl...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks were on the air live from 10:00 pm to 10:30 pm Central to talk about the Iowa results so far. They will record another live show at noon Central on Wednesday, November 6. It's already clear that Donald Trump carried Iowa by a large margin, and Republicans will have net gains of Iowa House and Senate seats. 

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss Ann Selzer's final Iowa Poll for the Des Moines Register, which shocked the political world. Other topics covered: a federal court ruling allowing the state to proceed with a last-minute effort to find non-citizens on the voter rolls, an update on Iowa's early vote numbers, recent news from the four Congressional campaigns, and Iowa House and Senate races to w...

Laura Belin and Dr. Bob Leonard discuss the Iowa Secretary of State's last-minute directive telling county auditors to challenge ballots from "self-reported" non-citizens. (Some people on the secret list are in fact naturalized citizens.) Meanwhile, the ACLU of Iowa warned about mass challenges to voter registrations in some counties. Other topics covered include early voting numbers, the only deb...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss findings from the investigation into the deadly mass shooting at Perry High School in January. Other topics covered: early voting numbers so far, Congressional candidate fundraising, news from the toss-up races in Iowa's first and third districts, details on the Davenport residence of Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, the second Congressional district d...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the options and requirements for voting before election day, and how both major parties are pushing early GOTV. Other topics covered: a debate, a poll, and new TV ads in Iowa's two toss-up Congressional races; attorney ratings for judges up for retention on the November ballot; a challenge to federal nursing home staffing requirements; Iowa Supreme Court argumen...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks dive into the state of play in Iowa's four U.S. House races: two toss-ups (the first and third Congressional districts), and two considered safe for Republicans (the second and fourth districts). They also share their VP debate takeaways and discuss Governor Kim Reynolds' search for a new lieutenant governor, recent trade mission to India, and opposition to legalizing...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the races in Iowa's first and third Congressional districts and Laura's exclusive reporting on how U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks has used official resources to boost her re-election prospects. Also covered: an Iowa National Guard deployment to North Carolina, Rep. Randy Feenstra's vote against funding the government, Sen. Chuck Grassley's comments on the...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discussed new Iowa Poll findings on abortion, immigration, and the presidential and VP candidates. One of the co-chairs of Nikki Haley's Iowa caucus campaign became the first prominent Iowa Republican to endorse Kamala Harris. Other topics covered include: news from the competitive U.S. House races, concerns about slow mail delivery affecting Iowa voters, Iowa's senat...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the second apparent assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump and the first published Iowa Poll measuring support for Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Other topics covered: an Iowa Supreme Court ruling on Libertarians running for Congress, a shady effort to recruit pro-Trump candidates to split the vote in battleground U.S. House races...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg's surprising departure, the latest news on three Libertarian candidates' fight to get back on the ballot, and the Iowa GOP's planned early voting push. Also covered: Democratic groups are making a play for Iowa's first Congressional district, grants for new charter schools, State Auditor Rob Sand's recent town hall in Knoxville,...

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss what Iowans need to know (and need to bring with them) if they plan to vote early or on election day. Republicans on a state panel voted three Libertarian Congressional candidates off the ballot, setting up a court challenge on a tight timeline. Other topics covered: a seventh presidential candidate appeared on the Iowa ballot; a conservative Republican stood...