Good morning from Iowa Capital Dispatch.
“I’m really proud of the last session. Sometimes that is not the way it goes, when it’s your final year and you’re a lame duck. Sometimes it’s kind of irrelevant what the governor wants. And what I experienced for my last legislative session was legislators and leaders in both the House and Senate remained committed to putting Iowans first and getting things done and completed, that we promised Iowans we would.” — Gov. Kim Reynolds after signing the last bills of the 2026 legislative session and her last as governor.
Republicans were able to enact many of their top goals this year as Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the final bills from the 2026 legislative session into law.
Speaking with reporters, Reynolds was emotional as she reflected on what was accomplished in her final year leading the state.
Voting booths were set up for the Iowa June 2, 2026 primary elections at the Fellowship Community Church in Norwalk. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
More than 19% of the state’s registered voters participated in the 2026 primary election, up from more than 16% in the 2022 primaries, according to unofficial results from the Iowa Secretary of State.
Unofficial results also show that 411,525 total ballots were cast in this year’s primary, compared to 356,140 in 2022.
Three incumbents in the Iowa House lost in the June 2 primary election against challengers from within their party.
An Iowa lawyer facing criminal charges of sexually abusing a child is challenging a potential suspension of his law license for a domestic abuse conviction.
The Iowa Board of Medicine has issued a warning to a physician accused of cultivating an inappropriate relationship with a patient.
Five Midwest senators, including Iowa Republicans Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, defended ethanol production and year-round E15 sales Wednesday in a letter to the Wall Street Journal.
The U.S. House passed a resolution Wednesday to force President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran and require congressional approval for further military action in the country.
The only federal agency dedicated solely to helping states and localities run smoothly and secure elections operates on a meager budget -- and U.S. House Republicans have signaled they want sizable further cuts.
The federal government released new guidance this week on how states should roll out the Medicaid work requirements that will affect healthcare coverage for millions of Americans.
The day after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Trump administration’s “anti-weaponization” fund was dead, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent evaded questions on Capitol Hill Wednesday about whether President Donald Trump, his family and the Trump Organization would be absolved from future tax enforcement, another part of the president’s IRS settlement.
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