Iowa Politics

The Republican Party of Iowa's State Central Committee has reelected Jeff Kaufmann as chair and elected former Speaker of the Iowa House Linda Upmeyer as co-chair.

Local, state and federal law enforcement officials are working together to brace for potential threats at the state Capitol and elsewhere ahead of Inauguration Day on Jan. 20. Officials across multiple agencies say they're not currently aware of concrete, Iowa-specific threats, but that operational plans are in place if needed.

A grand jury has indicted Des Moines resident Doug Jensen on six charges for his role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of pro-Trump extremists. Photos and videos of the Des Moines resident during the siege have been circulated widely, showing him wearing a QAnon T-shirt and confronting law enforcement officers.

Iowa’s League of United Latin American Citizens has announced its platform and priorities for this legislative session. Its focus this year is on workplace safety.

Of all of the images captured of the mob of pro-Trump extremists that stormed the U.S. Capitol, among the most iconic is a photo of an Iowan. Doug Jensen, a 41-year-old Des Moines resident, is now in custody and faces five federal charges for his role in the riot.

This week's winter storm blanketed some Iowa communities in 10 inches or more of snow. That's an added challenge for Iowans still struggling to repair their homes in the aftermath of last fall's derecho.

It’s been a non-stop year for political news.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday she plans to provisionally seat Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks as the next representative of Iowa's 2nd Congressional District. But whether she will retain the seat remains unsettled, as her Democratic opponent Rita Hart challenges the outcome in the House.

Three environmental groups are calling on MidAmerican Energy to retire its coal-fired power plants, in order to save ratepayers millions of dollars. The organizations are making their case to the Iowa Utilities Board, which is considering the company's latest emissions plan.

Starting next month, some Linn County defendants accused of possessing small amounts of marijuana may be able to avoid a criminal record, under a new diversion program. But there are concerns the program's restrictions may reinforce racial disparities.