James Q. LynchJames Lynch covers politics and state government. For nearly 30 years, he’s covered a papal visit, pork queen contests and presidential campaigns in Iowa. |
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Iowa Democrats’ counter-offer on health care access opens door ‘a crack’
DES MOINES – With plans to expand health care access for low-income Iowans stuck in a legislative conference committee, Iowa Democratic lawmakers broke the ice Thursday with an offer they hope leads to a compromise before the Iowa Legislature adjourns, possibly next week. Democrats, who want to expand Medicaid to about 150,000 Iowans earning less [...]
Dandekar forms committee to explore run for Iowa U.S. House 1st District seat
After deflecting questions about her plans for months, former state Sen. Swati Dandekar is taking the first steps toward running for an open U.S. House seat in northeast Iowa. The Marion Democrat confirmed today supporters are forming an exploratory committee and she will decide before fall whether she will run for the 1st District seat [...]
United Way iPhone app gets mention in report to Congress
DES MOINES – A brainstorming session last year lead to development of an iPhone app to help connect Eastern Iowans to volunteer opportunities. That app, created for the United Way of East Central Iowa Volunteer Center, has earned a mention in a congressional budget justification on volunteer services. In the Corporation for Community Service congressional [...]
Iowa education chief finalist for Colorado job
DES MOINES — Iowa Department of Education Director Jason Glass said being named a finalist for a superintendent job in Colorado won’t have any effect on Gov. Terry Branstad’s pursuit of education reform in Iowa. “The education reform agenda in Iowa was built to be independent of any one person,” Glass said during a break [...]
Iowa House GOP offers $261 million plan for bond debt, pensions, regents universities
A plan to spend $261 million paying off state bond debt and making investments in state universities won bipartisan support in a House committee Wednesday. However, the Republican-sponsored House Study Bill 239faces an uncertain future because minority Democrats are concerned it will starve their priorities and plunge the state into deficit next year. Democrats on [...]
Former fighter pilot, base commander running for Iowa House 68 seat
During 25 years in the Air Force, Ken Rizer was a jet fighter pilot and a base commander responsible for 60,000 people and a $250 million budget. Now the retired Air Force colonel wants to serve again – in the Iowa House. Rizer, a senior vice president for operations at Goodwill of the Heartland since [...]
Iowa lawmakers pressing toward adjournment
Lawmakers made progress Tuesday on the “foundational work” needed to bring the 2013 Iowa legislative session to a close, but haven’t succeeded in agreeing on an overall budget number. “I see light at the end of the tunnel,” Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said after meeting with House Republican leadership. House Speaker Kraig [...]
Quinnipiac University to begin polling Iowans on political races, issues
As a general election swing state and home to the first-in-the-nation precinct caucuses, Iowa was the “next obvious place,” for the Quinnipiac University Poll to start asking questions. The poll, started in 1988, will begin regularly surveying Iowans’ opinions on statewide political races, presidential politics and issues, according to Peter Brown, assistant director of the [...]
Iowa legislative leaders say they are closer to agreement on budget
DES MOINES – The “big number” continues to elude legislative leaders, but they insisted Monday they’re getting closer. Closer, in this case, is somewhere between $200 million and “several hundred million” apart, according to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Bob Dvorsky, D-Coralville, and House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, respectively. “It’s manageable,” Paulsen said, signaling the optimism [...]
King decision on U.S. Senate race opens door for others
DES MOINES – With the exit of 4th District Rep. Steve King from the field of potential Republican U.S. Senate candidates, others who have been waiting in the wings are stepping forward. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Red Oak, said Monday she “continues to evaluate” making a run in 2014 for the Senate seat that will be [...]
