Despite being a front-runner for her party's nomination, a judge ruled Democrat Abby Finkenauer did not gather enough valid signatures to appear on the primary ballot this June.
She needed 3,500 signatures, including 100 from 19 different counties. But three signatures were undated or incorrectly dated. Polk County District Court Judge Scott Beattie reversed a state panel decision that counted the three signatures. As Katie Akin, a reporter for Iowa Capital Dispatch wrote, "Without those three names, Finkenauer received over 100 signatures in just 17 counties – not enough for the ballot."
On this episode of River to River, host Ben Kieffer speaks to Akin about what this means for Finkenauer's campaign.
Also, Peter Damiano of the Public Policy Center at the University of Iowa talks about an upcoming panel looking at the role consultants play in our political discourse in the United States. The panel will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12 at the Old Capitol (21 N Clinton St, Iowa City, IA 52240).
Last, we turn to IPR's own John Pemble, host of Under the Golden Dome, to listen to his work tracking the 2022 Iowa Legislative session through our state leaders, lobbyists and activists' own voices.
Guests:
- Katie Akin, reporter for Iowa Capital Dispatch
- Peter Damiano, director and senior research fellow in residence at the Health Policy Research Program at the University of Iowa
- John Pemble, IPR reporter and host of the weekly legislative podcast Under the Golden Dome
