Bleeding Heartland
An independent website about Iowa politics
 Bleeding Heartland

Recognizing Bleeding Heartland's talented 2025 guest authors

2025 was another strong year for Bleeding Heartland’s guest authors. This website published 369 pieces written or co-authored by 154 individuals—a record number of contributors. The total number of guest posts published didn’t match the record-setting pace of 2024, but it edged out 2023 for second place.

As usual, last year’s guest authors covered a wide range of topics, from public schools to local and state government, major employers, CO2 pipelines, farm subsidies, the cancer rate, foreign policy, notable events in U.S. history or Iowa history, and of course wildflowers.

They wrote about Iowa’s statewide elected officials, members of Congress, and national figures including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Guest authors highlighted bills pending in the Iowa legislature, from well-known attacks on transgender Iowans and public schools to proposals that received less attention but could change many Iowans’ lives for the worse.

They reviewed books that would interest many Bleeding Heartland readers.

They reflected on the lives and legacy of former Republican State Representative Dave Heaton and Democratic State Senator Claire Celsi, who both passed away last year.

While many guest authors criticized Republican policies and politicians, some offered advice or constructive criticism to Democratic candidates or activists, and shared differing views on the future of the Iowa caucuses.

As noted below, some contributions by guest authors were among the most-viewed Bleeding Heartland posts of the year.

How to write for Bleeding Heartland

Please contact me if you would like to write about any topic of local, statewide, or national importance during 2026. If you do not already have a user account on the site, I can set one up for you and explain the process. There is no standard format or word limit. Last year, some guest contributions were a few hundred words long, while others were thousands of words long. I copy-edit before publishing but do not impose my views or my voice on guest authors.

Although most writers choose to publish under their real names, I allow pseudonyms under some circumstances, such as when a writer’s day job doesn’t permit political commentary, or when anonymity is needed to protect the safety of others. I ask authors to disclose potential conflicts of interest, such as being a paid staffer, consultant, or lobbyist promoting any candidate or policy they discuss here.

Anyone can submit articles or commentaries for publication, including people who don’t currently live in Iowa or have never lived here, and writers who are not Democrats. I especially welcome contributions by authors from underrepresented communities in Iowa political news and commentary: women, people of color, young voices, members of the LGBTQ or disability communities, immigrants, or those who practice a religion other than Christianity or have no religious affiliation.

Full list of Bleeding Heartland’s guest posts in 2025

Authors are listed in descending order by number of articles or commentaries published on this site during the 2025 calendar year. Those who submitted the same number of posts are listed in alphabetical order.

Randy Evans was the most frequent contributor to Bleeding Heartland last year; this site republished 34 of the columns he submits to various Iowa publications. He published most of them on his Substack newsletter, Stray Thoughts:

Bruce Lear was the site’s second-most prolific author last year, writing 33 posts in 2025:

Rick Morain writes a regular column for the Jefferson Herald and Substack. Bleeding Heartland republished 21 of those essays last year:

Herb Strentz contributed fourteen posts in 2025:

Bleeding Heartland republished thirteen posts by Jason Benell last year. You can find more of his work on his Substack newsletter, The Odd Man Out:

Bleeding Heartland republished eight posts by Ed Tibbetts, which first appeared on his Substack newsletter, Along the Mississippi:

The site republished seven posts by Douglas Burns, which he first published on his Substack newsletter, The Iowa Mercury:

Two authors each wrote six posts last year. Chuck Isenhart originally published these pieces on his Substack newsletter, Iowa Public Policy Dude:

Dean Lerner:

Ten authors contributed five posts last year. Katie Byerly:

Al Charlson:

Steve Corbin:

Sue Dinsdale:

Wayne Ford:

Peggy Huppert:

I republished five of Clark Kauffman’s stories for Iowa Capital Dispatch:

These posts by Kurt Meyer were originally published on his Substack newsletter, Showing Up:

I republished five of Robin Opsahl’s stories for Iowa Capital Dispatch:

Diane Porter originally published these pieces on her Substack newsletter, My Gaia:

The following authors each contributed four posts. Bill Bumgarner:

John Hale and Terri Hale:

John Kearney:

Dan Piller:

Four writers each contributed three posts. Charles Bruner:

I republished three of Cami Koons’ articles for Iowa Capital Dispatch:

Gerald Ott:

Matt Russell:

The following 26 authors each contributed two posts. Emily Boevers:

Emily Bredthauer:

These posts by Dave Busiek first appeared on his Substack newsletter, Dave Busiek on Media:

Xavier Carrigan:

James Enright:

Sean Flaherty:

Arnold Garson:

AJ Jones:

Taylor Kohn:

Bruce Morrison:

Jeff Morrison regularly publishes the Between Two Rivers column on Substack:

Jon Muller:

Carl Olsen:

Jesse Parker:

Randy Richardson:

Diane Rosenberg:

Ralph Rosenberg:

Bernie Scolaro:

William R. Staplin:

Julie Stauch:

Rod Sullivan:

Wally Taylor:

Jenny Turner:

Tom Walton:

State Representative Aime Wichtendahl:

greg wickenkamp:

The following 101 authors each wrote one guest column during the year.

Amy Adams:

Your voice: Why letters to the editor still matter

Kira Barker:

My Charlie Kirk story: How I was introduced to Turning Point USA

Rekha Basu regularly publishes at Rekha Shouts and Whispers:

Iowa’s first female governor signs law that will set women back (second most-viewed post of the year)

Gary Berkland:

Why this Republican is supporting Zach Wahls for U.S. Senate

Francis Boggus:

We can’t take a chance on IA-03

Joe Bolkcom:

Save Social Security before it’s too late

Glenn Branch:

In revising Iowa’s science standards, listen to expertise and experience

Brian Bruening:

Running for office is futile if the Iowa Democratic Party doesn’t change

Rachel Bruns:

Iowa maternal health policy priorities for 2025

Matt Chapman:

GOP bills would allow illegal lease clauses for all Iowa rentals

John Clayton:

Climate solutions—Unexpected results

Nicholas Cocozzelli:

John Deere betrays Iowa (fifth most-viewed post of the year)

Greg D. Cohen:

Measles has come to Iowa. A physician’s perspective

Jazlin Coley:

Jennifer Konfrst believed in me before I believed in myself

Lora Conrad:

Iowa wildflower Wednesday: Poison Ivy

Nick Conway:

24 Iowa counties among nation’s top 100 for swing from Obama to Trump

Nick Covington:

Reflections on Teach Truth Day of Action 2025

Keenan Crow:

Appeasement isn’t the right path forward for Iowa’s LGBTQ community

Jacqui Daniels:

Reflecting on Resilience: Alex Kor to share parents’ Holocaust story at ISU

John Deeth:

We can build it, but they won’t come (fourth most-viewed post of the year)

Alexandra Dermody:

Alexandra Nickolas-Dermody’s case to lead the Iowa Democratic Party

Brooklyn Draisey covers higher education for Iowa Capital Dispatch:

Jewish stakeholders decry use of “antisemitism” to harm Iowa colleges

Khayree Duckett:

Remembering Dave Heaton and the fading of compassionate conservatism

Steve Dunn:

Retired Iowa doctor: Overpopulation threatens humanity

Channing Dutton:

Trouble in River City, 2025 edition

David Elbert:

Wendy Wintersteen fell short of what ISU needed

Shawn Ellerbroek:

Iowa way behind on finding causes of our high cancer rate

Jeff Ewoldt:

Iowa wildflower Wednesday: Early summer in Clay County

Lexi Farber and Laura Snider:

Beer, trivia, and ballots: How Iowa’s youth can take back democracy

Sondra Feldstein:

Preserve farmland and hold Polk County supervisors accountable

Gordie Felger:

Anti-LGBTQ laws were never about “protecting children”

Steven Fink:

A theology for transgender people

Tom Foley:

Pascual Pedro Pedro recounts deportation after routine ICE check-in

Jeff Fuhrman:

Abandoning Ukraine is not in America’s national interests

Charles Gaba:

How many Iowans could lose health care coverage under House GOP plan

Shawn Gallagher:

“Big, Beautiful Bill” leaves Iowa small businesses holding the bag

Elesha Gayman:

What an Iowa House colleague taught me about the capacity to change

John Gilbert:

Iowa needs a Farm Bill geared toward conservation

Lizzie Gillman:

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are divine imperatives, not political conveniences

Myron Gookin:

I grew up an Iowa Republican. This is not your parents’ Republican Party

Dan Guild:

What to watch for in New Jersey, Virginia governor’s races

Tara Guion:

I tried to talk to Joni Ernst about Medicaid. She didn’t listen

Jo Hain:

Iowa wildflower Wednesday: American dragonhead

Jack Hatch:

Iowa’s members of Congress owe us an explanation (23rd most-viewed post of the year)

Deb Hansen:

Johnston’s unified front for public education: Davidson, Schippers, Smith

Gwen Hope:

AI mass surveillance expands, Iowa cities resist transparency

Geoff Horsfield and Anne Schechinger:

House budget bill’s top farm subsidy loopholes and giveaways

Josh Hughes:

What I learned from Claire Celsi

Chris Jones:

A progressive platform for Iowa food and agriculture

Henry Jay Karp:

Is Iowa saying bye-bye to the separation of church and state?

Patrick Kearney:

Iowa’s teacher shortage is getting worse

Tanya Keith:

My oldest child asked me to defend trans rights

Edward Kelly Jr:

On gender-affirming care and respect

John Kenyon:

Anti-library bills seek to stifle thought, not protect children

Anne Kinzel:

Memo to Democrats: True friends stand by you in a crisis

James Larew:

Agricultural pollution violates Iowans’ fundamental right to access clean water

Thomas Lecaque:

Iowa’s school chaplain bill and Christian Nationalism

Dave Leshtz:

Satanic Temple honors Paradise Lost in “nice place to sit and read a book”

Tony Leys covers health care in the Midwest for KFF Health News:

Iowa Medicaid sends $4 million bills to two grieving families (among 30 most-viewed posts of the year)

Lisa Lima:

Jill Shudak: A fighter for the underdog, the leader Council Bluffs deserves

Josh Mandelbaum:

The Des Moines housing strategy that wasn’t

Dexter Merschbrock:

School board democracy can make change in Iowa

Phil Montag:

Data dive on the 2024 Iowa State House races

John Morrissey:

Buying Minnesota: A pig in a poke?

State Representative Larry McBurney:

IPERS is not the problem. It’s the solution to Iowa’s public workforce crisis

Lyle Muller regularly publishes a Substack newsletter:

The Gazette’s new task: maintain local confidence, journalism

Jill Norton:

Celebrating Irishness

David Osterberg:

“We Can Do Better” shows path for conservation movement (with Ralph Rosenberg and Charles Bruner)

Abigail Paxton:

Iowa Republicans chose shutdown over affordable health care

Kay Pence:

As Medicare and Medicaid turn 60, we should be celebrating—not mourning

Sandy Peterson:

Supreme Court must check executive power, protect rights and freedoms

Rose Mary Pratt:

Jennifer Konfrst has the leadership, courage we need in Congress

Todd Prichard and Ann Prichard:

Democrats need to hold their ground, maintain Iowa caucus tradition

Mandi Remington:

When hunger becomes a political weapon

Chuy Renteria:

Schrödinger’s Immigrant: On Pascual Pedro Pedro and doing what’s required

Dani Replogle:

Court to hear Project 2025 lawsuit, with high stakes for wetlands and farmers

Ann Rhodes:

Speak out for higher education on the Pentacrest, April 17

“Catherine Ross” (a pseudonym):

ICE detained, deported two Iowa workers without due process

Julie Russell-Steuart:

A vote for Tim Winter is a vote for Iowa Democrats’ self-determination

Connie Ryan:

Will we ever learn?

Anna Ryon:

From Heartland to Hellscape: Living in fear in Washington, D.C.

State Auditor Rob Sand:

On Iowa school’s voucher law, claims about accountability don’t add up (thirteenth most-viewed post of the year)

Linda Schreiber:

Iowa’s anti-trans law not about sports, bathrooms, or science

Justin Scott:

How Sandy Salmon played dead when asked about education, 504/IEP plans

Leland Searles:

Iowa wildflower Wednesday: Resilience in a roadside

Adam Shriver:

Fact-checking the Dr. Ian Roberts situation (tenth most-viewed post of the year)

Kenny Slocum:

Iowa wildflower Wednesday: Mullein Foxglove

Patrick Swanson:

Highlights from a peri-urban Loess Hills walkabout

Pam Mackey Taylor:

Improved water quality in Iowa: Now or never?

Matthew P. Thornburg:

CO2 pipeline politics in Iowa’s 2026 gubernatorial election

Jessica Vanden Berg:

I was torn on the Des Moines school bond. Why I voted yes

Ed Wasserman:

Recent U.S. history: In their own words

Mary Weaver:

RFK Jr a dangerous choice for Health and Human Services

Lauren Whitehead:

The case for a new Johnson County Jail

Marian Wilson Kimber:

The theft of history

Sam Wilson:

Why I’m running for Cedar Rapids City Council

Melissa Wubben:

Integrating native plants and sustainable agriculture in rural Iowa

State Representative Adam Zabner:

I took on the Reynolds administration and won

Tags: Blogging

About the Author(s)

Laura Belin

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