All four members of Iowa’s House of Representatives delegation and both of its senators issued statements condemning the actions of the mob that overran the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. But only one of them actually addressed Donald Trump’s responsibility for inciting an insurrection aimed at stopping the certification of the Electoral College votes and preventing […]
Sen. Chuck Grassley
Sen. Joni Ernst won’t say if she’ll object to certifying Biden’s win; other Iowa Republicans accept Trump’s loss

With less than a day left before Congress is scheduled to certify the votes of the Electoral College, confirming Joe Biden’s win, Sen. Joni Ernst had not yet decided whether she will join Donald Trump’s latest attempt to nullify the results of the Nov. 3 presidential election. “Sen. Ernst is continuing to hear from Iowans […]
Chuck Grassley tests positive for COVID-19, misses a Senate vote for the first time in 27 years

Late on Tuesday afternoon, Sen. Chuck Grassley announced on Twitter he had tested positive for COVID-19. The 87-year-old, who is the longest serving Republican in the U.S. Senate, said he is “feeling good + will keep up on my work for the ppl of Iowa from home” as he self-quarantines. I’ve tested positive for coronavirus. […]
A ballsy campaign ad put Joni Ernst on the map. It may be all she’s remembered for.

Six years ago, a little-known state senator introduced herself to Iowans statewide with the words, “I’m Joni Ernst. I grew up castrating hogs on an Iowa farm.” The “Make ’em Squeal” ad helped plant an image of Ernst in the public’s mind as a plain-speaking farm girl who wanted to bring Iowa common sense to […]
Grassley says ‘the American people’s will’ is clear and Trump can fill SCOTUS vacancy before election; Ernst agrees

Sen. Chuck Grassley said on Monday he will support President Trump’s effort to confirm a new U.S, Supreme Court justice as quickly as possible. In a statement first published by the Des Moines Register, Grassley said there is no ambiguity “about the American people’s will for the direction of the Supreme Court.” Grassley said “ambiguity” […]
Ernst and Grassley quiet on replacing Justice Ginsberg, loud about dead ‘pidgin,’ email gaffe

Update: At approximately 5 p.m. on Monday, the Des Moines Register published a statement from Sen. Grassley in which he explains he is not opposed to the Senate evaluating and voting on a Trump nominee before Election Day, citing differences between 2016 and 2020. Sen. Ernst also released a statement confirming she, too, would “carry […]
Gov. Reynolds was in contact with White House aide who tested positive for COVID-19

During her visit to the White House last week, Gov. Kim Reynolds came in contact with an aide to Vice President Mike Pence who later tested positive for COVID-19, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday. Katie Miller, Pence’s press secretary, tested positive for the virus on Friday. Reynolds met with President Trump and the vice president […]
Vice President Pence says Iowans are ‘blessed’ to have Kim Reynolds as governor, praises meat processing plants during visit to Iowa

“The people of Iowa have been blessed by the leadership of Gov. Kim Reynolds,” Vice President Mike Pence said during his visit to the state on Friday. Pence was speaking to a group of religious leaders at Westkirk Presbyterian Church in Urbandale, one of two scheduled public events on Friday. “One of the things the […]
Trump uses Defense Production Act to shield meat processing plants from COVID-19 liability

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday evening invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA) to order all beef, pork, poultry and egg processing plants in the country to remain open and continue working. The executive order said the recent closures of meat processing plants following outbreaks of COVID-19 “threaten the continued functioning of […]
86-year-old Chuck Grassley says he might run for reelection in 2022
Fresh off Trump praise, Grassley kicks off 40th ‘Full Grassley’ with closed-door events in Eastern Iowa

Sen. Chuck Grassley will kick off his annual tour of all Iowa’s 99 counties on Friday, with stops in three counties: Johnson, Cedar and Jones. It’s the 40th year for the “Full Grassley,” the nickname the senator has adopted for the tour. “I look forward to the opportunity to listen to Iowans’ comments and concerns […]
As Trump’s Senate trial begins, Grassley and Ernst vote against calling witnesses and requiring the administration to turn over documents

Sen. Chuck Grassley and Sen. Joni Ernst voted in lock-step with Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell during the first session of the trial of President Trump following his impeachment in the House of Representatives. The two Iowans joined their Republican Senate colleagues in voting down all 11 amendments the House impeachment managers […]