The Republican supermajority in the Iowa Senate is no more. Catelin Drey became the seventeenth Democrat in the 50-member chamber on September 15.

About half of her Democratic colleagues came to watch Drey take the oath of office, including State Senator Mike Zimmer, who flipped another Republican-held district in January.

Alongside her husband and daughter, Catelin Drey repeats the oath after Iowa Supreme Court Justice Matthew McDermott (photo courtesy of Iowa Senate Democrats)

Shortly after the swearing in, Drey and Iowa Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner spoke to reporters in the capitol rotunda.

Weiner praised the “wonderful campaign” Drey ran, focused on listening to constituents and having hundreds of conversations with voters. The Democrat won the August 26 special election by a roughly 10-point margin, even though residents of Senate district 1 (covering most of Sioux City and some other parts of Woodbury County) had voted for Donald Trump in November 2024 by about 11 points. Bleeding Heartland previously covered Drey’s campaign message and phenomenal outreach in the run-up to the special election.

Drey doesn’t yet know her committee assignments for the 2026 legislative session. For now, she’s “taking media requests”—her win received national attention because of the Democratic over-performance—and “being as available to constituents as I can.” People have already reached out to her on issues ranging from high-speed rail to child support, water quality, and public schools.

She said she’s “looking forward to getting to work” and is “perhaps unjustly optimistic” about what the next legislative session holds. She added, “most people in the Senate can agree right now, we have a public education funding crisis, and supporting our students is the best way that we can give them an economic boost.” She plans to work across the aisle “to make sure that we are funding our public schools at a rate that keeps pace with or exceeds inflation.”

That does sound too optimistic, considering that increases in state funding for public schools have never matched rising costs for school districts since Republicans gained control of the Iowa House in 2011. Since the party gained trifecta control in 2017, GOP lawmakers in the Senate have typically sought to raise state education funding by less than their counterparts in the Iowa House. This year, the legislature was nearly two months late to approve funding for K-12 school districts, as Senate Republicans and Governor Kim Reynolds insisted on increasing state aid per pupil by just 2 percent. (House Republicans wanted a 2.25 percent hike, plus some additional one-time spending for public schools.)

Drey’s victory means Reynolds’ nominees for many state agency and board positions will need at least one Democratic vote to reach the two-thirds majority for confirmation (34 out of 50 senators). Traditionally, the minority party has blocked only a handful of the governor’s picks in any given Iowa legislative session.

Weiner said Senate Democrats haven’t yet discussed how they plan to use their additional leverage. She believes the new balance will help her colleagues be “part of the mix” in the chamber. “Way too often the last few sessions it was perhaps a Senate of 34. Now we’re a Senate of 50,” and Republicans “will need to work with us” to get people confirmed.

In the late stages of the 2025 legislative session, a faction of Senate Republicans were able to force leadership to bring an eminent domain bill (House File 639) to the floor. Following a wild debate, the Republican holdouts joined most of the Democratic caucus to approve that bill, over the objections of Senate leadership—a result without precedent in living memory in Iowa. So I asked Weiner whether she anticipates other opportunities to work with some GOP colleagues, even if their leadership isn’t open to that cooperation.

She said she looks forward “to finding ways to work with both portions of the caucus and the leadership of the caucus” on issues that matter to Iowans, such as public education, economic issues, Iowa’s cancer crisis, water pollution, and improving care for older Iowans.

Reflecting on the recent assassination of conservative movement leader Charlie Kirk, which happened on the same day as another school shooting in Colorado, Drey said,

I think right now we have to turn the temperature down. And talking to my neighbors, I think that we’re much closer politically than the climate right now gives us credit for.

I’m thinking about the safety of kids in school and thinking about the safety of myself and my colleagues, but I am optimistic that we have an awareness now that this type of rhetoric is dangerous, and I’m also optimistic that we can find some solutions to solve the gun violence crisis that is ongoing.

I can’t share the optimism, in light of the many pro-gun bills this legislature has enacted, Republicans’ refusal to consider Democratic amendments on gun safety, and the state constitutional amendment Iowa voters approved in 2022, which stipulates that any restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms are subject to “strict scrutiny.”

But Drey’s upbeat attitude is refreshing. Asked whether she had brought “a talisman” or something important to wear for the swearing in ceremony, she thanked Radio Iowa’s O.Kay Henderson for the “beautiful question.” Indeed, she was wearing a piece of jewelry she bought during her stint as a teacher in Honduras, “a meaningful part of my life.” She also brought a pin, a gift from supportive friends who “taught me about the value in feeling sturdy in your beliefs and your values as we head into this very exciting and still fraught moment.”

Whatever challenges lay ahead, Drey’s confidence and willingness to seek common ground should serve the newest Democratic senator well during the legislative session and 2026 campaign, when she will ask voters in Senate district 1 to elect her to a full four-year term.

Kira Barker is a Democratic organizer in Polk County. She posted this reflection on Facebook on September 12, two days after Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

It was my first year clerking in the Iowa House (January 2023). I was so naive, I remember working on those House races in Ankeny, thinking if we flipped those seats, we would be able to stop private school vouchers. LOL. I had no idea what the legislature was really like or what I was getting into.

During clerk orientation, staff told us we’d have several weeks to settle in before any bills would be up for a vote. In the second week the Iowa Rs passed the voucher bill. I described it as Dems getting our teeth kicked in; after enough kicks your gums get callused. The team in charge really knew how to set the tone.

Throughout the session there are “Day on the Hill” events where organizations bring members to the capitol to meet legislators, lobby, and set up tables in the first-floor rotunda to highlight priorities. This particular day was “Second Amendment Day on the Hill.”

If you didn’t know, guns are allowed in the capitol. I didn’t know that at the time. I learned it that day.

John and Terri own The Hale Group, an Ankeny-based advocacy firm focused on older Iowans. John had a 25-year career with the Social Security Administration, working in Iowa field offices, the Kansas City regional office, and its Baltimore headquarters. terriandjohnhale@gmail.com

No tax on Social Security benefits!

President Donald Trump has said it. U.S. Representative Zach Nunn has said it.

The problem is: It’s just not true.

Bruce Lear lives in Sioux City and has been connected to Iowa’s public schools for 38 years. He taught for eleven years and represented educators as an Iowa State Education Association regional director for 27 years until retiring. He can be reached at BruceLear2419@gmail.com 

Schools are in full swing. Classes are packed with students, but some are missing a full-time teacher. 

If there’s a vacancy in most professions, another colleague takes up the slack. But teaching is unique. It’s impossible to make an unfilled teaching vacancy invisible since there are always 25 or 30 student witnesses.

As school begins in Iowa, the exact number of unfilled teaching vacancies is hard to determine. The Iowa Department of Education won’t release official numbers until late this year. So, is the teacher shortage a real problem, or nothing to worry about?

Catherine Ross is a pseudonym for one of the authors of this post. Bleeding Heartland is keeping the authors’ names confidential, as well as the location in Iowa where these detentions occurred.

June 16, 2025 began like any other morning for two hardworking men in an Iowa community. As dawn broke, the first—a restaurant employee driving to work—was boxed in by two unmarked cars. Masked figures jumped out, ordered him from his vehicle, and whisked him away.

Three friends, trailing behind, watched in horror, as it appeared their fellow worker was being kidnapped. One friend ran to move the abandoned car off the street, unaware that other masked men lurked nearby. He, too, was seized and driven away. Only two witnesses in the second car remained to tell the tale.

Friends and families did not learn these men’s whereabouts for thirteen hours, when their names were found on ICE’s (Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part of the US Homeland Security) detainee roster at Polk County Jail—a facility paid by ICE for housing ICE detainees. After 48 hours there, they were transferred to Pine Prairie Correctional Facility in rural Louisiana for four more days.

“You understand what too many of our fellow Americans have forgotten: that democracy is not on automatic pilot,” U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen told hundreds of Democrats in Des Moines on September 13. “Its survival, its very survival, depends on us.”

In his keynote address at the Polk County Democrats’ annual Steak Fry fundraiser, the senior senator from Maryland repeatedly urged Democrats to fight back against President Donald Trump’s lawless regime. He also faulted members of his own party, who don’t always stand up for core principles.

Rose Mary Pratt is a native of Des Moines and has been involved in Polk County and Iowa Democratic Party politics for fifty plus years. She is a former secondary education teacher in Minnesota, Council Bluffs, and the Des Moines area. She worked on the administrative staff of Governor Tom Vilsack and as a Legislative Secretary in the Iowa House of Representatives. She has volunteered and worked in many campaigns and remains committed to mentoring young people who want to be in politics and run for public office. She and her husband reside in Des Moines, and she is a proud mother and grandmother. 

As a long-time Democratic party activist, I’ve met many candidates running for office over the years and have worked in campaigns and been involved at a grassroots level in Iowa elections. I have given my time and money, and tried to encourage and mentor those who are committed and know why they want to run for public office. I have been fortunate to work with and for people who believe they can make a difference. I love the idea that when I see good people run, and win or lose, I am still glad to have had the chance to be a part of their campaign. 

I have had the honor of working for Governor Tom Vilsack and alongside Democratic and Republican lawmakers at the state capitol. I feel my activism should continue and I have to stay involved and work to find and support candidates whose qualities and abilities to lead are evident.  However, more significantly is the candidate’s desire to be of public service and in the public arena at this time of polarization and disillusionment with government.

I believe the country’s future depends on electing strong and visionary candidates who give us hope. I am endorsing Jennifer Konfrst for Iowa’s third Congressional district. I am confident she is the best candidate to represent our district and can win.

Rick Morain is the former publisher and owner of the Jefferson Herald, for which he writes a regular column. This essay first appeared on Substack.

Why does Congress even bother to debate an annual budget?

Every year members of the federal legislative body spend innumerable hours in committees and on the House and Senate floor debating discretionary appropriations decisions. Intense negotiations sometimes produce some or all of the 12 regular mandatory appropriations bills that designate how various departments will spend funds in the coming fiscal year. (The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30.)

The operative word there is “sometimes.” That’s because Congress usually can’t make its required appropriations decisions before the end of the current fiscal year. In those instances—which happen depressingly often—Congress may pass a continuing resolution that extends current levels of spending in those departments. When that happens, the legislators will then provide supplemental appropriations in the new fiscal year for needs or emergencies that arise. (Editor’s note: The last year Congress approved all twelve budget bills on time was 1996, for fiscal year 1997.)

Bill Bumgarner is a retired former health care executive from northwest Iowa who worked
in hospital management for 41 years, mostly in the state of Iowa.

Gun violence made headlines again on September 10.

As I write this, two children lay wounded following a school shooting in Colorado. Political commentator Charlie Kirk is dead, the victim of a single shot from a sniper while holding an event at a university in Utah.

Of course, the political class is offering thoughts and prayers. But there will be no meaningful action. Again. We already know that.

Yet, with every act of gun violence, I think back to a speech by Robert F. Kennedy, the former attorney general, U.S. senator and presidential candidate. He delivered these remarks at the Cleveland City Club, in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 5, 1968, the day following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Kenny Slocum is the naturalist and natural resource manager for the Clayton County Conservation Board.

I remember when I first moved back home to Iowa, I worked hard to identify plants mostly out of a desire to eat them. I would scour books on wild edibles, go out into the field, find what I thought looked like, say, chokecherry, come back home to double-check the references, and eventually give up because the field never matches the guide.

Foraged plate circa 2015

Eventually, Seek by iNaturalist came along and put those field guides right into the palm of my hand. Even better, the Almighty App rendered moot the tedious process of perusing all “ pink flowers,” or all “August bloomers,” or whatever section I had to examine based on how an author decided to organize his or her guide.

Suddenly, with a simple wave of the camera, I had my identification. Or so I thought.

Dave Busiek spent 43 years in Iowa radio and TV newsrooms, the last 30 years as news director at KCCI-TV in Des Moines. He writes the Substack newsletter Dave Busiek on Media, where this essay first appeared.

I recently came across a Facebook post that stopped me cold. It felt less like a feel-good story and more like a warning—a glimpse into what the future of local TV news may become if we’re not careful.

The post from August 29 shows a smiling young woman outside Mason City, Iowa, TV station KIMT’s studio in Rochester, Minnesota. Kamie Roesler writes,

“Walking out of work right now feeling accomplished tonight, not that anyone cares, but I will share anyway.”

The next sentence she shared made me, and a lot of other people care.

It’s been a wildly successful week for U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson.

Three days after U.S. Senator Joni Ernst confirmed she won’t seek re-election, the three-term member of Congress all but wrapped up the Republican nomination for Iowa’s Senate seat. President Donald Trump’s “Complete and Total Endorsement” shut the door on any realistic chance Hinson could lose the June 2026 primary.

But Hinson’s embrace of the Washington establishment could alienate a segment of Republicans she will need after the primary. And her slavish allegiance to Trump could become a liability for the likely nominee in the general election campaign.

Wayne Ford is the executive director of Wayne Ford Equity Impact Institute and co-Director of the Emmy Award winning Brown and Black Forums of America. He is a former member of the Iowa legislature and the founder and former executive director of Urban Dreams.

Washington, D.C. has always been more than just another city. It is the nation’s capital, a symbol of democracy, and a unique jurisdiction caught between local self-governance and federal control. Today, it has also become the latest flashpoint in America’s ongoing debate about crime, politics, and presidential power.

Mayor Muriel Bowser recently acknowledged that the federal surge of law enforcement—including the deployment of the National Guard ordered by President Donald Trump—has coincided with a sharp drop in crime. Carjackings fell by 87 percent. Overall violent crime was cut nearly in half. And, in a milestone for the city, Washington went twelve consecutive days without a single homicide.

The numbers are dramatic. Headlines on cable news have trumpeted them as proof that federal power works. Bowser herself admitted that the crackdown “brought results,” even though she expressed concerns about the heavy presence of federal officers in local neighborhoods.

But here is the crucial point: these statistics represent only a few weeks of data. They are not proof of a long-term trend. Just as crime patterns fluctuate with seasons, neighborhoods, and economic cycles, a short-term dip can reflect immediate deterrence without changing the deeper conditions that drive violence. That distinction matters if we are to think seriously about Washington, D.C. and its future.

Kurt Meyer writes a weekly column for the Nora Springs – Rockford Register and the Substack newsletter Showing Up, where this essay first appeared in several installments. He served as chair of the executive committee (the equivalent of board chair) of Americans for Democratic Action, America’s most experienced liberal organization.

Ninety years ago, in a message to the Boys Scouts of America, President Franklin Roosevelt, honorary president of the Scouts, noted,

The year 1935 marks the 25th birthday celebration of the Boy Scouts of America. During these years the value of our organization in building character and in training for citizenship has made itself a vital factor in the life of America. … There are in each community so many well-organized and efficiently administered agencies… which strengthen the best objectives of the home, the church, and the school.

Several months later, a far less glowing message came from a relative of FDR, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, President Teddy Roosevelt’s son, chair of the Scout’s personnel division. Speaking extemporaneously at the 25^th anniversary meeting of the Scouts National Council, Colonel Roosevelt referenced a Boy Scout “red flag list,” also known as “ineligible volunteer files” and “perversion files.” 

Julie Stauch is a Democratic candidate for governor.

My team and I hit the ground running in June, and visited all fifteen Community College districts of Iowa. From the start, I made it clear: this campaign would be different. The old way of running campaigns isn’t working anymore, and I believe Iowans deserve a new approach. 

Over the last three months, I’ve spent my time understanding what people across this state most want from their next governor. The core message I heard was that Iowans want leaders who will focus on the real problems they face. The people of Iowa are fed up with candidates not deeply engaging in conversation with them. 

That’s why I’ve held 27 in-depth interview sessions across these districts, ensuring that every voice is heard and every concern is taken seriously. In fact, during the very first interview session, a woman wrote on her worksheet, “I feel like I’ve been heard for the first time.”

Rick Morain is the former publisher and owner of the Jefferson Herald, for which he writes a regular column. This essay first appeared on Substack.

A year ago this month, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, introduced the No Kings Act with 36 co-sponsors. With the Senate under Republican control, the bill did not receive a vote and therefore died.

It deserves resurrection.

The No Kings Act was inspired by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on July 1 of last year that the president is immune from prosecution for all official acts he or she commits while in office, even if they break the law. The court handed down that decision in Donald J. Trump v. United States, in which Trump was indicted for attempting to overturn the results of his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 election four years earlier.

To complicate matters, the court did not define what constitutes an “official act.”

James Enright is a Sioux City native, avid hiker, fish keeper, and prairie enthusiast.

I have spent most of my adult life hiking the Loess Hills prairies. The rugged Loess prairies are my home. I was born there, raised there, and I am content to spend the rest of my days hiking those bluffs and prairies.

Just over a year ago, I started sharing pictures of my Loess Hills adventures and information regarding the various preserves I visit on social media. I was surprised by the amount of feedback I received. To my surprise, even many locals were unaware that these preserves existed.

I spent most of the winter and early spring of 2025 hiking and photographing various preserves in the Sioux City area. I visited some of my favorites with snow on the ground: Stone State Park, Heendah Hills, The Broken Kettle Grasslands, Riverside Bluffs, Five Ridge Prairie, The Sioux City Prairie, and others.

Things changed in May 2025 when I began a new career path, which would take me on the road all over northwest Iowa five days per week. I decided to save my hiking posts for long weekend hikes in the hills until a fateful mishap at work left me lost and confused about my whereabouts.

Sandy Peterson is a Democrat from Grimes.

I am writing as a concerned citizen to respectfully urge the U.S. Supreme Court to exercise its critical role in upholding the constitutional checks and balances that safeguard our democracy. Recent actions by President Donald Trump during his second term raise serious concerns about the overreach of executive power and its impact on the American people, our economy, our allies, and the fundamental principles of our government.

The president’s policies, including the imposition of sweeping tariffs, have disrupted global trade, triggered retaliatory measures from allies like Canada and the European Union, and increased costs for American consumers, particularly the middle and lower classes. These economic measures, enacted under emergency powers, risk destabilizing our economy and discouraging tourism, as international confidence in the United States as a stable destination wanes.

Todd Prichard is a former Iowa House minority leader and the last elected rural Democrat to serve in the Iowa House. He currently lives in Charles City and serves as the Floyd County Attorney. Ann Prichard teaches fifth grade in the Charles City Public School District.

Iowa’s Democratic Party is at a critical crossroads. Do Iowa Democrats throw in the towel and concede the first-in-the-nation caucuses, or do we unite to regain our rightful place in the political calendar? We argue that we fight to maintain our status for both the health of the Iowa Democratic Party and for the electability of Democratic presidential candidates.

Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus is a good fit for both the state and the nation. Iowa Democrats have a rich history of picking qualified progressive candidates. We take this responsibility seriously, showing the candidates Iowa Nice with a healthy dose of Midwest skepticism. This makes Iowa an ideal place for nationwide candidates to test messages and learn about rural issues.

Sam Wilson is a non-profit professional in Cedar Rapids who filed her nominating papers for city council on September 2.

Greetings, Iowa! My name is Sam Wilson, and I’m a candidate for Cedar Rapids City Council, District 1 this year. 

I am a local non-profit professional who is committed to making a positive difference right now. I’ve lived in Iowa my whole life and have called Cedar Rapids home since 2015. I’m a mum to two children and many adopted animals. I’ve earned a Bachelor’s in Animal Ecology and a Master’s in Philanthropy and Non-Profit Development—I believe this provides me with a unique set of skills to offer the governance and policy oversight for the City of Cedar Rapids.

Rooted in empathy, I spend much of my waking hours thinking about solving our community’s problems. A long-held value of mine is making sure people feel heard and valued. Part of my vision for serving as the City Council representative for District 1 is to be a voice for the people. With so much experience in community-based non-profit work, I have seen the transformative power of grassroots and community-led efforts. I plan on tapping into that experience to be a present and engaged leader ready to help empower the entire community. 

My campaign is guided by three pillars: