Episode 100!!!! Laura Belin of Bleeding Heartland is Here to Help us Celebrate!! Top 5 Lauras!!

Podcast Segments:

* Iowa Coast to Coast (statewide news)

* From Laura Belin in Bleeding Heartland: The last time Donald Trump was president, Iowa Democrats had a pretty good midterm election. The party’s candidates defeated two Republican members of Congress, came surprisingly close to beating U.S. Representative Steve King, had a net gain of five Iowa House seats (and almost a sixth), and came within 3 points of winning the governor’s race. Many Democrats like their chances of improving on that tally in 2026. But before they get too excited, they need to understand the terrain is now much more favorable to Iowa Republicans than it was during the 2018 election cycle. A huge GOP voter registration advantage, combined with consistently higher turnout for Republicans in midterm years, make it hard to construct a winning scenario for Democrats in Iowa’s 2026 statewide elections. To overcome those long odds, Democrats will need not only strong GOTV and good messaging, but also a better voter registration effort over the coming year than the party has seen in decades.

* From Randy Evans in Bleeding Heartland: People living in central Iowa received a wake-up call last week that should drag water quality back in front of the state’s 3.2 million residents. Iowa’s largest water supplier, which serves a fifth of the state’s homes and businesses, ordered its 600,000 customers to immediately reduce water demand by ending lawn-watering and cutting use in other ways. This is not just a Des Moines area problem. This is an all-of-Iowa problem. While fertilizing lawns and golf courses in urban areas contributes to the nitrate problem, excess application of commercial nitrogen fertilizer and manure on farm ground is by far the primary reason for elevated levels of nitrates. This focus on nitrates in drinking water is not some arcane concern motivated by fans of lush lawns. The heart of the issue is public health. Nitrates are of special concern for infants under 6 months of age and pregnant women. Studies also suggest even nitrate levels below the federal safe-drinking-water standard could contribute to an increase in colon and rectal cancers, thyroid disease and some birth defects.

* Cauc Talk (political news)

* From The New Republic: Will Iowa Senator Joni Enst call it quits after her humiliating defense of Donald Trump’s budget bill? Several Republican aides, consultants, and strategists told The Wall Street Journal that there was widespread speculation Ernst would not seek another term in the Senate. At a disastrous town hall in late May, Ernst was discussing the Trump-backed “one big beautiful bill,” which will kick an estimated 5.4 million people off of Medicaid. A constituent cried out, “People will die!” “Well, we all are going to die,” Ernst shot back. As it turns out, Iowans didn’t appreciate the Republican senator getting existential, and now the embattled senator has delayed her annual “Roast and Ride” fundraiser until October. Typically, Ernst—who has been in office since 2015—holds the event in June. Ernst’s “political ascent within the GOP has stalled,” the Journal reported. But for now, it’s all just speculation. Earlier this month, Ernst brought on Bryan Kraber to manage her 2026 reelection campaign, signaling her intent to turn her sinking ship around.

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