Zachary Oren Smith

Journalism Tip: Stuck sorting through too much material? The timeline can’t be beat.

Zach Lahn just beat Trump’s pick for Iowa governor

It’s primary day, friends. Get out and vote!

Zach Lahn, his Kansas home, and the 🍆 ring of it all.

TRUMP BACKS FEENSTRA - President Donald Trump endorsed Republican US Rep. Randy Feenstra in his bid for Iowa Governor. He is in a competitive primary. Before the announcement, he was being out-raised and at least one poll suggest he was losing his frontrunner status.

Iowa Democrats are making the case to the DNC that the Iowa Caucuses should be among the early states again. They’re pitching a mail-in presidential preference process and a simplified in-person process. Re: an end to the wild caucus math.

Ugly bird nest.

🔥🍗🔥 Last night, I watched Democratic House candidate Heather Sievers attempt a Hot Ones-style challenge with special guest @robsandia.bsky.social Iowans aren’t known for their spice tolerance. But that didn’t stop them. They went question for wing. 🔥🍗🔥

Listening to dance music over here. Thanks to John Darnielle @themountaingoats.bsky.social for supporting the work! Read the story over @iowastartingline.com

NEW: Iowa Starting Line obtained tape of José Yugar-Cruz, a Bolivian asylum-seeker, speaking publicly before the Trump administration moves to deport him to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Advocates for Yugar-Cruz will hold a rally at 12 p.m. Thursday, April 30 at the Linn County Jail.

Buratta is just cheese gusher.

Home water filter demand is up, KCWI reports. This as more Iowans worry about how Ag pollutions is impacting their taps.

“Well that’s someone in a hurry.”

GRASSLEY ON PAGE SCANDAL - S/O to Bleeding Heartlandk for following up on on our story this week at the House Speaker Pat Grassley’s weekly gaggle. What do you make of his response?

Reason I like living here #5

PAGING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY - I obtained some photos of Capitol pages stuffing reelection mailers for Iowa Rep. Jennifer Smith, R-Dubuque. Those are state employees using state property to benefit a political campaign: patently illegal.

SAND’S 4/20 PLAN - Rob Sand wants to legalize, tax, and regulate adult-use cannabis in Iowa like alcohol — keeping tax dollars in-state, creating 7,000 jobs, and helping close the state’s $1.4 billion budget gap.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

LOCATION CHANGE: H-O-R-S-E w/ Josh Turek 1 p.m. Robert A Lee Rec Center (220 S Gilbert St, Iowa City, IA 52240) Donate to Shelter House - shelterhouseiowa.org/donate

🏀🏀🏀 I’m playing Rep. Josh Turek in a game of H-O-R-S-E. We’ll talk about why he’s running between shots. 1 p.m. this Saturday at College Green Park in Iowa City. In case of rain, Robert A Lee Rec Center. I’m raising money for Shelter House. Lend a hand... shelterhouseiowa.org/donate 🏀🏀🏀

Reason I like living here #4.

Things journalism taught me No. 1: The Dig™️

Any of yall any good at basketball? I might need some help beating @joshturek4iowa.bsky.social at H-O-R-S-E. I’m looking for a basketball sensei…

DARK MONEY OUT - Just getting back from the US Senate Democratic forum put on by @progressiowa and stopbigmoney in Des Moines. Wanted to share this brief chat with End Citizens United’s Tiffany Muller. We talk about the problem of dark money and what we could do about it.

Reason I like living here #3

04-07-26 - New report on Iowa’s 12-month revenues show how regressive sales taxes are becoming a key part of balancing Iowa’s budget… did I mention the $1B deficit?

WHY KNOCK DOORS? - Was in Grundy Center, Iowa this morning learning about door-to-door campaigning from @leilaforiowa. Part of a series I’m working on. Do you knock doors? Why or why not?

Reason I like living here #2

From the people who brought you “no new taxes…”

03-28-25 - Hundreds showed up for the No Kings rally in Iowa City.

Iowa Rep. Jeff Shipley called a Cedar Falls resident slurs after he confronted Shipley about a bill to make Ivermectin available over the counter.

Reason I like living here #1

Diet Coke the loooong way.

03-19-26 - The Gang learns that taxes get passed to consumers.

BIG, BEAUTIFUL IMPACT - MercyOne's Ottumwa clinic closure left thousands of patients without a provider — a direct result of Medicaid cuts in the Big, Beautiful Bill that every Iowa Republican voted for.

03-14-26 - update on Iowa’s budget cliff. Nonpartisan estimate has us spending more than we are raising in taxes.

A new report reveals horrors at America’s largest ICE detention camp. Guards allegedly ran a betting pool on which detainee would die by su*cide. Five years ago, Tyson managers in Waterloo did something similar. This is what unchecked power looks like.

03-07-26 - Re: to my story on a dumb bill that would require driver’s license tests to be done in English.

The Iowa Legislature is moving a bill that would ban driver’s license tests in Spanish — and any language other than English. There’s zero evidence Spanish speakers are worse drivers. But there is evidence this will push people to drive uninsured.

03-05-26 - This week, two Iowans have been named by the Pentagon as casualties in the Trump Administration’s conflict with Iran.

this is our guy…

US bombs are dropping on Iran. And we couldn’t afford those ACA subsidies.

01-13-26 - A long day at the Capitol. Condition of the State, eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines, and property taxes. Follow @iowastartingline for more.

ERNST TO RETIRE - Today, US SEN. Joni Ernst announced she will not run for reelection in 2026. Full video from twitter:

🎥 Before going on, he told reporters: "  (Democrats) need to be winning in Iowa. We need to be winning in Nebraska. We need to be winning in Texas. ...in order for us to turn this around... I need to have partners here." 10/10

His message to Democrats: " Iowa and Arizona are very much alike. Where you guys are as a party is where we were not too long ago." 9/10

🎥 He's arguing that Democrats should aim to bridge the partisan divide with polices that help working people: "The people that are gonna get hurt the most from Medicaid cuts are going to be our fellow Republicans, but we're still willing to go fight for them." 8/10

🎥 Gallego on grocery prices and cuts to food assistance: "People are taking out loans to pay for groceries. They're using Afterpay for groceries. And this administration decided to cut food stamps to fund bigger tax cuts for the super rich." 7/10

🎥 Gallego on the Trump Administration's Epstein scandal: " These poor girls are being revictimized by this administration again. ... We need to continue to push forward to protect them, to fight for them because they, they didn't get that when it happened." 6/10

🎥 Gallego on Republican power grabs: "They're doing mid-decade redistricting all over the country to preserve their power because they know what they're doing is harmful. Instead of changing course, they're trying to change voters." 5/10

🎥 Gallego didn't mince words on GOP priorities:  "They actively said, we are going to cut millions of people off Medicaid in order to fund tax cuts for the richest. How sick is that?" 4/10

🎥 He painted a stark picture for young Americans:  "The answer has to be that we're going to bring you the same opportunity that your parents had, ... because this generation ... just below me is going to be the first generation that's going to do worse than their kids." 3/10

🎥 He spoke about meeting a JBS worker in Marshalltown:  "The reason she takes pride in her job is because 'I know if I go to work, I can give my kids a better future.' Yeah, we need to be the party for that woman. If we're the party for that woman, we win." 2/10

'OH HEY THERE' - In addition to going for 99 counties for the gov's race, Auditor Rob Sand's campaign manager told me he's been to 8 of the last 10 Hinterlands. The festival has grown a lot in that time. And this year, organizers made a promo w/ Sand playing 'tour guide.'

me: confidently starts friend's Hot Ones challenge-themed party also me 7 wings deep: sweating profusely "i'm little nautious... can i get in that beer crate" turns out writing about spicy iowa politics ≠ handling actual spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️