Laura Belin

From the latest "KHOI's Capitol Week": I noticed something when looking at the map of counties carried by Randy Feenstra and Zach Lahn in yesterday's #IAGov primary. It seems like Lahn's TV ads were effective.

"This is how Rob Sand loses"—Zach Lahn's closing remarks from his rally in Ankeny on Sunday. (The column he's referencing was by Art Cullen of the Storm Lake Times Pilot) #IAGov

The first negative TV ads in the GOP race for Iowa governor went up on the air last Wednesday. We talked about it on the "Iowa Down Ballot" podcast. #IAGOP #IAGov

Please let me know if you get turned away from any Republican events in Iowa. Kudos to Kasey Conrad for having the presence of mind to record this conversation in Mt. Pleasant on Tuesday. #IASen

Ashley Hinson's campaign is turning Democrats away from her meet and greets, including Kasey Conrad and friends, who RSVP'd and had tickets for Tuesday's event in Mt. Pleasant. As a member of Congress, Hinson hasn't held a town hall open to the public since last August. #IASen

Are Republicans getting worried about the Iowa secretary of agriculture race? A national GOP group gave Mike Naig's campaign $150K this year—about three-quarters of his total fundraising haul. Democrat Chris Jones is making this election a referendum on water quality in Iowa.

On Tuesday I asked Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate what assurances he can give that naturalized citizens won't be racially or ethnically profiled when they try to vote this year.

A lot to unpack with Ashley Hinson's first TV ad of the 2026 campaign. (from "KHOI's Capitol Week") #IASen

From "KHOI's Capitol Week," my thoughts on @petebuttigieg.bsky.social endorsing @joshturek4iowa.bsky.social for #Iowa's Senate primary. The whole show (with lots more on the #IASen race) is available on podcast platforms.

From the latest "Iowa Down Ballot" podcast, a few thoughts inspired by the second #IASen debate and online exchanges about electability.

Democratic candidate Sarah Trone Garriott @sarahforiowa.bsky.social is doing events in each of #IA03's 21 counties in 21 days to highlight GOP incumbent Zach Nunn's failure to hold any public town halls as a member of Congress. (from "KHOI's Capitol Week")

"We will have very different leverage" in budget negotiations if Democrats win control of Congress, Senator Elizabeth Warren told reporters in Des Moines on Monday.

Pulling an all-nighter is a terrible way to close out the Iowa legislature's work for the year.

Nate Willems wants to reorient the Iowa Attorney General's office to work for Iowans. (Brenna Bird has spent a lot of time and resources on federal lawsuits challenging Biden policies or defending Trump policies)

From "KHOI's Capitol Week," some thoughts on the constitutional amendment that Iowans will vote on this November.

The Iowa Senate adjourned without any floor vote on eminent domain this year. Were you surprised there was no GOP rebellion like what we saw near the end of the 2025 session?

Republicans did not appreciate this comparison from Senator Zach Wahls during Sunday's debate on a bill restricting medication abortion. #ialegis @zachwahls.bsky.social

"This is government overreach"—part of State Senator Zach Wahls' remarks during Sunday's debate over a bill restricting medication abortion in Iowa. @zachwahls.bsky.social #ialegis

Thoughts on the last-minute Republican water quality initiative (from the "Iowa Down Ballot" podcast)

Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for Iowa secretary of agriculture, told me on Friday that the new Republican water quality plan "puts the entire financial burden" of ag pollution on Iowa taxpayers, asking "nothing of the industry"—from farmers to the Big Ag corporations.

ICYMI last week: Iowa House Republicans gave final approval to what State Rep. Austin Baeth (a medical doctor) called a “pro-cancer” bill.

On "KHOI's Capitol Week," I explained why it matters that #IAGov candidates Zach Lahn and Adam Steen spoke at all four GOP district conventions on Saturday. #IAGOP

On Thursday I asked Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh what's hanging up a bill that would make animal torture a felony offense in Iowa. (The House approved the bill unanimously more than a month ago.) #ialegis

Iowa House and Senate Republicans are still far apart on property tax reform. One of the sticking points is whether to raise taxes on apartment buildings. From the latest "Iowa Down Ballot" podcast:

On Thursday I asked Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley about House pages stuffing campaign mailers for GOP State Rep Jennifer Smith. ICYMI, @zacharyos.bsky.social's reporting on this (illegal) practice: iowastartingline.com/2026/04/22/i... #ialegis

On "KHOI's Capitol Week," I put some context around Adam Steen's bizarre "Sharia law" comments from Monday. Audio and detailed written write-up here: laurabelin.substack.com/p/governors-...

Adam Steen, one of five Republicans running for governor, held a press conference this morning to announce a few of his priorities. I wasn't expecting him to come out for banning Sharia law in Iowa. #IAGov

Since Randy Feenstra doesn't want to debate the other Republicans running for governor, I asked @robsandia.bsky.social how many times he'd like to debate his GOP opponent. #Iowa #IAGov

A clip from yesterday's House Appropriations Committee meeting, where Republicans advanced a bill restricting abortion medications. Dr. Megan Srinivas @meganforiowa.bsky.social pointed out some HIPAA problems: #ialegis Rs approved along party lines.

About that #IASen poll: Without knowing how the questions were worded, I would be very cautious about interpreting GBAO's poll findings on Hinson/Turek and Hinson/Wahls. See the polling memo here: www.bleedingheartland.com/static/media... A segment from the latest "KHOI's Capitol Week":

Democratic State Rep Heather Matson on why she didn't sign off on a bill restricting medication abortion, which was in subcommittee today: #ialegis

Eye-opening: State Senator Janet Petersen @janet4iowa.bsky.social revealed last Wednesday that Iowa now has only one investigator looking into student abuse, after that was moved from the Dept of Education to HHS. Also, "student abuse" is defined in a way that doesn't cover many types of abuse.

Always worth listening to points of personal privilege! Grateful to State Sen Cindy Winckler for putting this on my radar: Gov Kim Reynolds is refusing to fill vacancies on the Early Childhood Iowa board, which will give state officials more control over what’s supposed to be a citizen-led board.

After learning he would remain on the GOP primary ballot as a candidate for Iowa governor, State Representative Eddie Andrews told reporters that representatives of Adam Steen's campaign warned him they would challenge his signatures if he didn't get on team Steen. #IAGov #IAGOP

Truth bomb from State Senator Janet Petersen @janet4iowa.bsky.social during the Iowa Senate Judiciary Committee's discussion of a "three strikes" criminal sentencing bill on Thursday. (Rs advanced the bill on a party-line vote but plan to amend it before floor debate) #ialegis

Another survivor of conversion therapy testified at Thursday's Iowa Senate subcommittee on House File 2557, "an act allowing a person to raise, guide, and instruct a child in a manner consistent with the child’s sex." #ialegis

I heard some brave testimony on Thursday at an Iowa Senate subcommittee on a bill that would redefine child abuse in Iowa to exclude actions that "raise, guide, and instruct a child in a manner consistent with the child’s sex." LGBTQ advocates warn the bill would greenlight "conversion therapy."

A snippet from the new “Iowa Down Ballot” podcast, which will drop Saturday morning. We talked about the “three strikes” bill (among other things the Iowa House approved this week). #ialegis