Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discussed Iowa reaction to President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs and their likely impact on the state's agriculture sector. The U.S. Senate confirmed Matt Whitaker to the most senior role an Iowan has received in the second Trump administration. Also covered: more Democrats considering a 2026 bid for U.S. Senate, w…

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affect…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks started with news from the 2026 campaign trail: GOP State Senator Mike Bousselot is exploring a gubernatorial campaign, Democrat Nathan Sage is running for U.S. Senate, and Kevin Techau and Travis Terrell are running for U.S. House. They also discussed what makes a credible candidate for federal or statewide office, an…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Charles Goldman joins Ed Fallon to discuss:(01:38) Good news, bad news for Charles's shark phobia; (11:28) Crypto is the ultimate Trump grift;(20:30) The future of in vitro fertilization;(36:46) Trump’s “most beautiful word,” tariffs, is tarnishing quickly;(53:09) Rhubarb has a history longer than its stalks, with Kathy…

This week on the podcast, we cover a couple of topics as we pretend nothing else is anywhere near as important as Gov. Kim Reynolds's announcement that she’s not running for re-election next year. On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from…

Pints and Politics is a year-round gathering featuring The Gazette and special guests from across the state and across all party lines. It covers national, state, and local issues and offers opportunities to discuss the latest headlines. Attendees participate in audience polls, submit questions, and enjoy time with some of their favorite reporters,…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the biggest Iowa political news stories, starting with fallout from Governor Kim Reynolds' announcement that she won't seek a third term: potential Republican and Democratic candidates, impact on the next elections for governor and down-ballot offices, and reasons for Reynolds' relatively low approval rating. Mea…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(01:46) Are MAGA voters being played?, with Mark Clipsham;(20:37) Have you had enough yet?(34:47) Don’t support politicians who take funds from AIPAC;(53:23) Des Moines approves urban orchard, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon, Birds & Bees Urban Farm.By Ed Fallon

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affect…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(01:12) A conversation with Rep. J.D. Scholten;(35:27) Big Oil tries to use the courts to silence opponents;(43:57) How Poland fought off authoritarianism;(52:47) A win against Bayer’s cancer-causing pesticide Roundup, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon, Birds & Bees Urban Farm.…

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affect…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the week's top Iowa politics stories, starting with U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Locher blocking enforcement of Iowa's school book ban. Other topics covered include Attorney General Brenna Bird's unprecedented lawsuit against a county sheriff, reaction from Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst to "Signal…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(00:43) Gulf of Iowa Topsoil;(12:13) Who gets to bail as the US Titanic flounders?(25:12) How one pipeline fight helped another;(40:11) Why are Republicans afraid of ranked choice voting?(53:59) April garden Q & A, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon, Birds & Bees Urban Farm.…

This week on the podcast, Chuck Grassley’s post-election town hall and his thoughts on Signalgate, a couple of interesting legislative forums in Western Iowa and an Iowa Sheriff’s Facebook post has caused quite the kerfuffle.By The Gazette

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks begin with Iowa angles on Trump administration news: Governor Kim Reynolds cheered the order dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, Senator Chuck Grassley dealt with angry crowds at his town halls, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks stuck close to the president, Attorney General Brenna Bird backed efforts to deport a…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(02:16) South Dakota deals fatal blow to CO2 pipeline;(24:25) Trump's new colonialism;(38:52) Embracing banned words and classroom signs, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon;(52:11) Iowa school lunch bill demands scrutiny, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon, Birds & Bees Urban Farm.…

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affect…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks review the week in Iowa politics, starting with the three Democrats taking a serious look at running for Congress in the third district, where GOP incumbent Zach Nunn is seen as vulnerable. Other topics covered: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's "town hall" in that targeted district, a special election for an Iowa House se…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(00:47) A man and his donkey's 1,800-mile journey around Ireland, with Kevin O'Hara;(21:06) An interview with Martin Daly, member of the Irish Parliament;(37:02) Iowa's former Poet Laureate, Mary Swander;(53:57) Boxty on the griddle, boxty in the pan…, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon, Birds & Bees Urban Far…

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affect…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover an exceptionally busy week in the Iowa legislature ahead of the first "funnel" deadline. They discussed new bills that popped up last week (not all of them advanced), and notable bills that are "alive" and "dead" in the areas of K-12 education, higher education, public libraries, energy policy, state government, …

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(00:58) Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, with Kathleen McQuillen;(19:53) Trump and the threat of nuclear war, with Kathleen McQuillen;(36:50) Remembering the fearless Sinéad O'Connor;(52:06) Federal cuts spell problems for local-food distributors, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon, Birds & Bees Urban Farm.…

This week on the podcast, the Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau discusses the first funnel deadline of the 2025 legislative session. This episode was hosted by the Gazette Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy. It features Gazette Deputy Bureau Chief Tom Barton and Lee Des Moines Bureau Chief Maya Marchel Hoff. This episode was produced by Gazette Social…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks focused this week on the wide-ranging new Iowa law targeting transgender and nonbinary people. They discussed the key provisions, including some that have received little attention in other reporting. Laura described the atmosphere at the capitol, the House and Senate debates, last-minute maneuvering to secure House Re…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(01:20) Iowa removes protected class from civil rights code; 21st century train heists;(09:31) Buyer’s regret;(16:06) Zelenskyy confronts White House bully squad, with Jeffrey Weiss;(37:53) Why the film No Other Land could be a game changer, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon;(52:55) March Garden Q & A, with K…

We begin this week with the Republican-backed legislation that would remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. It was without a doubt a momentous week at the Iowa Capitol, and it peaked on Thursday when the bill was debated on the floor of both chambers. I said this in the On Iowa Politics newsletter: the spectacle that day rivals any …

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the biggest news in Iowa politics, starting with an omnibus transgender discrimination bill that is on a fast track: what's in the bill, how it compares to earlier proposals, why Republicans are pushing this now, and what happens next. They also discussed bills moving forward related to abortion, higher educati…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Charles Goldman joins Ed Fallon to discuss:(00:46) Tech-bro pushes a "digital-age monarchy" to replace democracy;(18:35) Just how big of a threat is AI?(37:10) Research shows carbon capture more costly than renewables;(53:09) What to consider when getting into backyard chickens, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon, Birds & Bees Ur…

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affect…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks start with 2026 election news: who is newly declared candidate Brad Sherman, and what are his chances in a Republican primary against Governor Kim Reynolds? Other topics covered: the candidates running in an Iowa House special election and legislative action related to school funding, other education policies, a pro-Is…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(01:08) A conversation with State Rep. Brent Siegrist (R-Council Bluffs);(21:31) Decorah Power, with Joel Zook and Kristin Eggen;(37:00) America at a constitutional crossroads, with Jeffrey Weiss;(53:03) Threats to conservation and foreign aid spending put US farmers in a bind, with Kathy Byrnes Fall…

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affect…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the week in Iowa politics, starting with Governor Kim Reynolds creating a new "Iowa DOGE" task force and testifying before the U.S. House Oversight Committee about government reorganization. Other topics covered: Iowa angles on Trump administration policies, cabinet appointees, and NIH grants, an Iowa House spe…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(00:58) Stopping the slide into dictatorship;(19:44) A man and his donkey's 1,800-mile journey around Ireland, with Kevin O’Hara;(40:02) Maybe Iowa has decided to no longer take itself seriously;(55:35) February garden Q & A, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon, Birds & Bees Urban Farm.…

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affect…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover top stories from the week in Iowa politics, starting with Democrat Mike Zimmer's shocking victory in a state Senate district that just voted for Donald Trump by 21 points. They also covered the unexpected passing of State Representative Martin Graber and legislative action on many bills affecting higher education…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(00:44) Understanding the war in Sudan, with Jeffrey Weiss;(19:24) An interview with State Rep. Josh Turek;(38:02) Will Trump reauthorize Dacthal, a toxic pesticide?(54:09) February garden Q & A, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon, Birds & Bees Urban Farm.By Ed Fallon

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affect…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the the week in Iowa politics, starting with an appeals court ruling that kept a state immigration law blocked. They discussed Iowa angles on Trump administration news: Senate confirmations, inspector general firings, and January 6 pardons. Other topics covered: big fundraising numbers from the likely 2026 Democr…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Charles Goldman joins Ed Fallon to discuss:(06:58) Sleepwalking into autocracy;(18:40) Follow the money trail behind Hegseth’s confirmation;(36:48) Where will the oligarchs go when the going gets rough?(53:35) City of Des Moines threatens to ax sustainability, with Kathy Byrnes Fallon, Birds & Bees Urban Farm.…

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to re-create the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affec…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks share their favorite Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes and discuss lots of news from a busy week in Iowa politics, starting with Iowa angles on President Donald Trump's return to the White House. They dug into the many policies Governor Kim Reynolds is asking Iowa legislators to enact this year, some items on her wish…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(00:58) Trump the Imperialist, with Jeffrey Weiss;(19:25) Theocracy creeps into Iowa’s public schools;(22:09) Biden warns of an “oligarchy taking shape”;(30:40) Data centers are water hogs, and AI will be even worse;(37:49) Louisiana bans vaccine promotion, with Dr. MarkAlain Dery;(52:14) World food …

Pints and Politics is a year-round gathering featuring The Gazette and special guests from across the state across all party lines. National, state, and local issues are covered, with opportunities to comment on the latest headlines. Attendees participate in audience polls, submit questions, and enjoy time with some of their favorite reporters, col…

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to re-create the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affec…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the start of the Iowa legislature's 2025 session from many angles: what happened on the opening day, highlights from remarks by majority and minority leaders, two new committees created in the Iowa House, important dates for the legislature's work, some key issues lawmakers may tackle, how Iowans can follow what'…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Charles Goldman joins Ed Fallon to discuss:(01:00) How some animals are adapting to climate change;(05:46) Could bird flu jump to humans?(18:51) Surgeon General urges cancer warnings on booze;(37:13) Republicans aren't interested in fixing Social Security;(53:48) Big Spud lands a collusion lawsuit, with Kathy Byrnes Fal…

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to re-create the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affec…

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the biggest Iowa politics stories of the week, starting with the first actions of the new Congress. Other topics covered: candidates set for the Iowa Senate district 35 special election, a GOP rival's ad with a vulgar message about Senator Joni Ernst, Iowa Democratic Party state chair Rita Hart winning another te…

On this week's Fallon Forum, Ed Fallon discusses:(01:29) What's causing Iowa's high cancer rates?, with Austin Baeth;(19:19) Insurrection Day and Christian Nationalism, with Mark Clipsham;(37:35) True story: Charles operates on his pet rat, with Charles Goldman;(53:56) January garden Q & A, with Kathy Byrnes, Birds & Bees Urban Farm.…