Who wasn’t there was almost as important as who was at the Iowa PBS forum of Republican candidates for governor on Tuesday night. Frontrunner Randy Feenstra skipped it, as he has skipped other forums where his fellow Republicans running for the nomination appear, but he still loomed over the three Republicans who did show up […]
Iowa Republican Party
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In latest move to restrict powers of local governments, Iowa Legislature passes bill aimed at Johnson County ID program (Updated)
Update: As expected, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed HF 2296 into law. It was one of 21 bills the governor approved on Thursday, April 16, according to a news release from the governor’s office. The Iowa Senate gave final approval on Tuesday to a bill banning cities and counties from issuing local IDs to residents. HF […]
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Eddie Andrews accuses fellow GOP candidate for governor of threats and attempted sabotage as he qualifies for the primary ballot
State Rep. Eddie Andrews has qualified for the 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary ballot, the State Objection Panel ruled Wednesday. The three-person panel, which hears challenges to candidates’ nominating papers, began their discussion Tuesday on an objection filed challenging aspects of Andrews’ filing. When the panel initially met, staff for the Iowa Secretary of State’s office had found […]
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Gov. Kim Reynolds kicks off her ‘Legacy Tour’ just days after signing bill undermining the rights of trans Iowans
The “Governor Kim Reynolds Legacy Tour” kicks off in Cedar Rapids on Thursday at the Hotel at Kirkwood Center. The 90-minute event starts at 6 p.m. “Hors D’oeuvres will be served,” according to the Iowa Republican Party’s ticket page for the event. “Do not miss your chance to show Governor Reynolds our appreciation for her […]
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A candid guide to the candidates running in Iowa this year
The 2026 election will be unlike any in decades. In addition to an open seat for governor and an open seat for U.S. Senate — a combination that hasn’t happened since 1968 — there are also open seats in two of Iowa’s four congressional districts and no incumbent running for State Auditor. In a state […]
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Randy Feenstra officially launches campaign for Iowa governor
Rep. Randy Feenstra formally announced his campaign for governor Tuesday, saying he aims to “take Iowa to new heights” by working with President Donald Trump and keeping the governor’s seat Republican in 2026. Feenstra had filed the paperwork to run for governor with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board in May, and shortly after […]
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Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks touts role in firing of teacher over Charlie Kirk remarks
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, speaking to supporters at a fundraiser in Iowa City on Friday, claimed credit for her involvement in the firing of an Oskaloosa teacher over remarks about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Miller-Meeks, speaking at her fifth annual tailgate fundraiser, said there’s “a lot at stake” in the upcoming election. To show voters […]
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GOP federal candidates outraise Democrats in Iowa — with one exception
Though there have been many shake-ups in Iowa heading into the 2026 campaign season, Republican candidates have largely kept their fundraising leads in Iowa’s U.S. Senate and House races, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission reports. Iowa will have open races for two U.S. House seats, as well as for governor and U.S. […]
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‘People are hungry — starving — for principled leadership’: Jon Green on his decision not to honor Charlie Kirk in Johnson County
At the beginning of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors work session on Wednesday, Board Chair Jon Green noted that it was Constitution Day, the annual national commemoration of the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1789 by the members of the convention that drafted it. The work session was also happening one […]
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More Republican candidates join 2nd and 4th District congressional primaries
Two more Republican candidates, Joe Mitchell and Christian Schlaefer, have declared their campaigns for congressional seats in Iowa. The GOP primary race for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District opened up last week when incumbent U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson entered the 2026 U.S. Senate race after U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst announced she would not seek reelection. Following Hinson’s announcement, several Republicans expressed […]
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Report: Sen. Joni Ernst won’t run for reelection
Sen. Joni Ernst has decided not to run for reelection, CBS News reported on Friday, citing “multiple sources familiar with the matter.” Ernst has told “confidants” she will publicly announce her decision next week, according to the report. “Spokespeople for Ernst did not reply to requests for comment,” CBS White House correspondent Jennifer Jacobs wrote. (Jacobs […]
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Ad buys supporting Nunn, Miller-Meeks focus on inflation and border security
Iowa Republican congressional candidates and supporters are bumping up campaign advertising in races that Democratic officials have targeted as potential pick-ups in the 2024 general election. While Republican incumbents are favored to win in Iowa’s congressional races, leaders with groups like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the U.S. House Democrats’ campaign arm, have recently announced […]
