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3 weeks ago | 
bleedingheartland.com | Laura Belin |Rod Sullivan |Bruce Lear |Bernie Scolaro
Dave Price had the scoop for Gray Media on March 28: State Senator Zach Wahls is “certainly listening” to those who have encouraged him to run for U.S. Senate in 2026. Wahls is the first Democrat to publicly express interest in this race. Two-term Senator Joni Ernst has not formally launched her re-election campaign but is widely expected to seek a third term. Wahls told Price he will decide whether to run for higher office after the Iowa legislative session.
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3 weeks ago | 
bleedingheartland.com | Rod Sullivan |Bruce Lear |Bernie Scolaro |Randy Evans
Rod Sullivan is a Johnson County supervisor. I searched the word “Medicaid” in my archive. I was shocked to find how much I have written on the topic—tens of thousands of words over the years. Why have I written so much about Medicaid? For one, you write what you know. I used to work in the Iowa Medicaid program. Even though that was several years ago, I know Medicaid quite well. That is why the Republican scheme to cut the program upsets me so much.
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3 weeks ago | 
bleedingheartland.com | Bruce Lear |Bernie Scolaro |Randy Evans
Jacqui Daniels, founder of Daniels PR, works with authors and publishing companies to promote new books and support literary talents. The Holocaust is a profound chapter in human history, and its lessons are more relevant than ever. On April 7, at 6 PM, Dr. Alex Kor will deliver a deeply personal talk, “Reflecting on My Parents’ Holocaust Journeys: Finding Forgiveness and Celebrating My Family’s Legacy,” at Iowa State University‘s Great Hall in the Memorial Union.
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2 months ago | 
bleedingheartland.com | Laura Belin |Randy Evans |Dean Lerner |Bernie Scolaro
The U.S. Supreme Court declined last week to hear former U.S. Representative Steve King’s appeal in a case stemming from his Congressional campaign’s unauthorized use of the popular “Success Kid” meme in 2020. Laney Griner took the photo of her son Sam on a beach in 2007 and registered the copyright for the “Success Kid” meme in 2012.
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2 months ago | 
bleedingheartland.com | Randy Evans |Dean Lerner |Laura Belin |Bernie Scolaro
Randy Evans is executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes openness and transparency in Iowa’s state and local governments. He can be reached at [email protected]. I was in Eagle Grove last week. Like many travelers in Iowa, I stopped at Casey’s before leaving town. Eagle Grove is a meatpacking community, and many jobs are held by Hispanic men and women.
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2 months ago | 
bleedingheartland.com | Dean Lerner |Laura Belin |Bernie Scolaro |John Morrissey
Dean Lerner served Iowa as an Assistant Attorney General for sixteen years, Chief Deputy Secretary of State for four years, and about ten years as Deputy Director, then Director of the Department of Inspections & Appeals. He then worked for the CMS Director of the Division of Nursing Homes, and the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. He is a graduate of Grinnell College and Drake University Law School.
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Jan 18, 2025 | 
bleedingheartland.com | Laura Belin |Randy Evans |Dean Lerner |Bernie Scolaro
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson caused some angst in the House Republican caucus this week when he removed Representative Mike Turner as chair of the Intelligence Committee, supposedly due to “concerns from Mar-a-Lago,” among other considerations. But there were no unpleasant surprises for Iowa’s delegation as committee assignments were finalized for the 119th Congress.
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Dec 16, 2024 | 
bleedingheartland.com | Laura Belin |Randy Evans |Dean Lerner |Bernie Scolaro
UPDATE: On December 23, Governor Kim Reynolds scheduled the special election for Tuesday, January 28. Original post follows. Voters in Iowa Senate district 35 will soon elect a new senator, now that Chris Cournoyer has resigned from that role to become Iowa’s lieutenant governor.
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Dec 13, 2024 | 
bleedingheartland.com | Bernie Scolaro
Bernie Scolaro is a retired school counselor, a past president of the Sioux City Education Association, and former Sioux City school board member. I applauded TIME magazine’s 2024 Athlete of the Year, Caitlin Clark. She has brought so much positive attention to women’s basketball. She is undeniably also a great role model for younger, aspiring athletes. Shortly after, TIME named President-elect Donald Trump as Person of the Year.
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Dec 6, 2024 | 
bleedingheartland.com | Laura Belin |Randy Evans |Kurt Meyer |Bernie Scolaro
Tenth in a series interpreting the results of Iowa’s 2024 state and federal elections. Across the country, voters elected a record number of women to serve in state legislatures in 2024. About a third of all U.S. state lawmakers will be women next year, and in seven state legislative chambers, women will comprise 50 percent or more of members. In contrast, the 2024 elections moved the Iowa legislature further away from gender parity.
