A range of emotions could be heard in Gov. Kim Reynolds’ voice as she spoke to reporters at the annual Terrace Hill Easter Egg Hunt on April 12. It was the day after her surprise announcement that she wouldn’t run for reelection in 2026, and Reynolds was clearly feeling sentimental as she reflected on her time […]
Gov. Kim Reynolds
Rob Sand, the last remaining Democrat in statewide office, announces his run for governor
“A lot of politicians yap about making a place redder or bluer,” State Auditor Rob Sand said in an online video Monday morning, “I want Iowa to be better and truer.” Sand posted the video to announce his run for governor. It was widely expected that Sand would run for governor in 2026. Of course, […]
‘Nothing more than thought policing’: Winneshiek sheriff asks court to dismiss AG Bird’s lawsuit over his Facebook post
In a motion filed in Polk County District Court on Wednesday, attorneys for Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx called the effort to cut off all state funds to Winneshiek County by Gov. Kim Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Bird in response to a Facebook post by Marx “nothing more than thought policing.” Marx asked the […]
Iowa Republicans advance bill with a ban on Medicaid funding for all forms of gender-affirming care
On Wednesday, Iowa Senate Republicans advanced a bill with a provision that would cut off funding for medical treatments for people with gender dysphoria, despite testimony pointing to a medical consensus that stopping access to such treatments can increase the risk of suicide among transgender people. This is the first piece of anti-trans legislation Iowa […]
Iowa atheist group sues Reynolds, Reynolds sues Des Moines Register over her withholding documents
Gov. Kim Reynolds’ use of executive privilege to withhold documents from the public and the media led to two lawsuits being filed in Polk County District Court on Friday. In one, Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers (IAF) is suing the governor’s office over its withholding documents related to the decision to prevent the Iowa Satanic Temple […]
Bill trying to stop Iowa universities from losing accreditation because of new state laws awaits governor’s signature
The Iowa Senate has sent a bill to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk that would bar penalization from accreditors to universities for following state law, despite concerns from some lawmakers that it would not prevent universities from potentially losing accreditation. HF 295 would bar higher education accrediting bodies from taking negative action against state universities that […]
Gov. Kim Reynolds will not run for reelection
Gov. Kim Reynolds announced on Friday morning that she will not run for reelection next year. “Today I want to share a personal decision with you, one that was not made lightly, but comes with a full heart and a deep sense of gratitude,” the governor said in a video posted on social media. “After […]
Iowa City rallies for immigrants, federal workers, the VA, health benefits, science and LGBTQ rights at Hands Off! protest of Trump administration
People in more than 1,300 cities across the country rallied on Saturday for Hands Off! protests against the sudden, brutal actions of the Trump administration. In Iowa, there were rallies in 17 cities, stretching from Red Oak to Davenport. In Cerro Gordo County, which Trump carried by 12 percentage points in November, more than 250 […]
Lawsuit challenges Reynolds’ authority in rulemaking process
A group of Iowans is suing the State of Iowa, alleging Gov. Kim Reynolds has no authority to require agencies such as the Department of Natural Resources to adopt regulations that are less burdensome on industry. The lawsuit was filed recently in Polk County District Court by Steve Veysey, a fly fisherman and clean water […]
AG Bird sues Winneshiek County over sheriff’s Facebook post, asks court to withhold all their state funding
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed a petition in Polk County District Court on Thursday, asking a judge to declare Winneshiek County in violation of Chapter 27A of Iowa Code, making it ineligible to receive any state funds. That section of Iowa Code requires every “local entity” in the state to cooperate with federal immigration […]
AG Bird threatens to cut off state funds for Winneshiek County after Gov. Reynolds complains about a Facebook post by the sheriff
Update: On Thursday afternoon, Attorney General Brenna Bird announced she had filed the threatened lawsuit against in Winneshiek County and Sheriff Marx. In a report released Wednesday afternoon, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office said AG Brenna Bird will ask a district court to cut off all state funds for Winneshiek County over a Feb. 4 Facebook […]
Federal judge issues new injunction halting Iowa’s school book ban
The book ban signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2023 has once again been blocked by a federal judge. On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Locher issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the state from enforcing the law requiring schools to remove all books with “descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act,” […]

