Good morning from Iowa Capital Dispatch.
“Many young households still face the most challenging homebuying environment in decades.” — Nadia Evangelou, senior economist for the National Association of Realtors, on continued challenges for first-time homebuyers despite a slight improvement in affordability so far this year.
U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and state Rep. Josh Turek will compete in the Nov. 3, 2026 election to become Iowa’s next U.S. senator. (Photos by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
The field is set for candidates running in the general election and campaigns, as well as political organizations, have kicked off a series early attack ads — particularly targeting candidates portraying themselves as moderates.
In the days after the June 2 primary, candidates have quickly pivoted to early messaging before the Nov. 3 general election. Some candidates and political groups are hoping to define their opponents through campaign advertising early in the cycle, especially those entering the general election campaign season with a lower profile.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear spoke at a campaign event at the River Place in Des Moines June 7, 2026 in support of Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Sunday in Des Moines his two gubernatorial victories in a state redder than Iowa shows that Rob Sand, the state's Democratic candidate for governor, can turn the tide in Iowa in 2026.
Beshear, president of the Democratic Governors’ Association, told a crowd of more than 300 gathered at The River Place about his campaign experience in Kentucky -- and why he believed Iowans should be hopeful about Sand and other Iowa Democrats' chances in the upcoming midterm elections.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the state “stands ready” to protect livestock and farmers from screwworm.
An Iowa nursing home where a resident died after the staff failed to perform CPR is facing a possible fine for its actions.
A West Des Moines attorney previously sanctioned for an attempted-burglary conviction has been issued a public reprimand for a second drunken-driving conviction.
Several states, including Iowa, have enacted or considered laws this year to increase reporting and oversight of child neglect and abuse.
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine published new clinical guidance this week affirming that acetaminophen, better known by its brand Tylenol, should be the “first-line” defense against pain and fever during pregnancy, Stateline reports.
Home prices rose this year, though not as much as inflation, so affordability increased in all regions as of April compared with a year before, according to the National Association of Realtors. But prices are settling at a high level, Stateline reports.
The U.S. Senate approved a nearly $70 billion package early Friday, moving Republicans one step closer to funding immigration and deportation activities for the next three years without negotiating new constraints on federal agents with Democrats.
A federal judge in Rhode Island Friday struck down several Trump administration policies that halted processing for asylum seekers following a shooting in Washington, D.C., that left one West Virginia National Guard member dead and another seriously injured.
The U.S. Senate rejected the SAVE America Act on Thursday, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump’s efforts to impose voting restrictions ahead of the November midterm elections.
COMMENTARY
With the 2026 Iowa primary election in the books, Dave Price, Laura Belin and Kathie Obradovich zoom in on Zach Lahn’s upset victory in the Republican gubernatorial primary. The podcast is a production of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative.
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