Governor Kim Reynolds ordered flags flown at half-staff across Iowa on June 20, the day Republican State Senator Julian Garrett was laid to rest. Garrett passed away on June 8 after a long illness, which caused him to miss the entirety of the 2026 legislative session.

In statements released following Garrett’s death, leaders from both parties offered their condolences and honored his work as a legislator, farmer, and attorney.

I want to highlight another important aspect of the senator’s life: he showed unusual persistence in the face of political setbacks.

This commentary by Patti Brown and Bob Brammer represents the collective view of the Iowans Against the Death Penalty board of directors. -promoted by Laura Belin

Dustin Honken is set to be executed July 17 at the U.S. penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, for two of five murders he committed in Iowa 27 years ago.

This case is of particular interest to Iowans, because while Iowa does not have the death penalty for crimes prosecuted in its state courts, the federal government has retained the death penalty. Honken was sentenced to death in federal court because his crimes involved manufacturing, trafficking, and the distribution of methamphetamine across multiple state jurisdictions.

Governor Kim Reynolds and Democratic challenger Fred Hubbell held the first of three debates tonight in Ankeny. You can watch a nearly-complete video on the Des Moines Register’s website. I’ve enclosed the notes I took in real time (live blog style) at the end of this post. But first, my takeaways: