Bleeding Heartland
An independent website about Iowa politics
 Bleeding Heartland
U.S. Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Ashley Hinson with House Speaker Mike Johnson

The real victims of the new Medicaid work requirements


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Political cover, empty words: A look at the governor's pipeline bill veto


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Iowa State Rep. Chuck Isenhart (left) with Minnesota Reps. Melissa Hortman and Rick Hansen at a meeting of the National Conference of Environmental Legislators

An Iowa friend's tribute to Melissa Hortman


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Facts matter—but not to Donald Trump


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All photos are by Diane Porter

Large-flowered Beardtongue and its fake anther


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Governor Kim Reynolds with Sgt. Paul Parizek, public information officer for the Des Moines Police Department

Iowa's first female governor signs law that will set women back


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Downtown Des Moines, Iowa skyline

There's more at stake in Iowa than brown lawns


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Iowa is losing. Who's keeping score?


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Real talk on the long odds facing Iowa Democrats in 2026


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Measles has come to Iowa. A physician's perspective


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Iowa AG pursues case against Winneshiek sheriff over Facebook post


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A modern day version of "Pride and Prejudice" in Ottumwa


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County consolidation: the zombie idea of Iowa think tanks


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(all photos of False indigo bush are by Katie Byerly)

Iowa wildflower Wednesday: False indigo


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(photo by Jo Lear, published with permission)

It's not normal


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Senator Joni Ernst during her town hall meeting in Parkersburg on May 30

Senator Ernst, we're not asking to live forever—just to live with dignity


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First take on the Rob Sand/Julie Stauch primary for Iowa governor


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(photograph Courtesy of the Margaret Chase Smith Library)

We need a Margaret Chase Smith, but we get Joni Ernst and Donald Trump


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The return of the ACA subsidy cliff and how to get around it


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Silhouettes on Sword Beach, a British memorial on one of the five D-Day landing beaches. (all photos by Dan Piller)

D-Day and 2025 America


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