Stories

CARROLL — With rich Catholic and Democratic traditions, but growing social conservative and evangelical demographics, Carroll County, the economic hub of west-central Iowa, can be considered something of a bellwether for the Hawkeye State in today’s election.
As of last Friday, Carroll County had 14,969 registered voters: 5,310 Democrats, 3,155 Republicans, 6,499 no party voters, and [...]

“I don’t think people are buying the negative ads, all that stuff about ‘palling around with terrorists’ and stuff,” Durbin told Iowa Independent when asked about the negative tone of the campaign.

In Iowa City, Democratic party activists have a traditional, friendly competition for the honor of “first voter.” On Thursday, the first day of in-person early voting, three dozen people lined up at the county auditor’s office before the window opened. The first-in-line winner was Sue Dvorsky of Coralville, an early Obama backer and one of [...]

Former Vice President Al Gore will be the keynote speaker at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Oct. 4 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, party chair Scott Brennan announced Tuesday.

An uncontested political race is like a forfeit in sports. It helps the won-loss record, but it’s no fun for the fans and, even though it’s the other team’s fault, feels vaguely unsportsmanlike.

There’s 125 ballgames this fall in the battle for the Iowa Legislature. More players may yet get on the field, but as of [...]

The Iowa Democratic Party has officially postponed its convention on Saturday due to flooding in downtown Des Moines and around the state.

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards this weekend in Carroll said members of his party in Congress should tie any funding of the war in Iraq to a timetable for complete combat troop withdrawal.

Speaking to a crowd of more than 250 (267 signed in) at the Swan Lake State Park Conservation Education Center, Edwards, a former [...]

The CNN/YouTube debate had an interesting format with some good questions from the public (and a few clunkers) and more sparks between the candidates that earlier debates, particularly on the war.

Below the fold see my play by play, and don’t skip the comments section for more live insights from Iowa Independent’s Dien Judge, T.M. Lindsey, [...]

[Commentary] State House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, is worried about the state budget.  In mid-June, Rants posted on his personal site a blog entry detailing new “budget woes” that the Democratic majority could soon be facing on capitol hill.  Democrats don’t seem to be too worried.

According to Rants, a recent Legislative Fiscal Committee [...]

UPDATE (9:00 PM CDT): Alex Koppelman over at Salon’s War Room reports that Sara Taylor will at least show up to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday.  It isn’t clear whether she will testify or invoke her Fifth Amendment privilege.  It is not clear whether Miers will appear before the House Judiciary Committee on [...]