Latest news with #IowaSenate
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why are flags at half-staff today? Reynolds orders flags lowered for senator's funeral
Flags around Iowa will be at half-staff on Thursday, July 3. Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags be lowered from sunrise to sunset on July 3. All flags on public grounds will be at half-staff. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to do the same. Flags are lowered on Thursday in honor and remembrance of Iowa Senator Rocky De Witt, who died of pancreatic cancer on June 25. He was 66. De Witt represented Senate District 1, which covers Woodbury County, including Sioux City and Lawton. More: Iowa Sen. Rocky De Witt dies of pancreatic cancer at age 66 The state senator had a 22-year career with MidAmerican Energy. He went on to work as a deputy for the Woodbury Sheriff's Office. De Witt also served on the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors and was elected to the Iowa Senate in 2022. Half-mast is used when the flag is flown from a flagpole, typically referring to a ship mast or similar structures, according to Federal Flags. Half-mast means the flag is flown two-thirds up between the top and bottom of the flagstaff. Half-staff is the term used for flags on land, particularly in the United States. Half-staff describes a flag that is raised halfway, between the top and bottom of the flagpole. When the American flag is flown at half-staff, it conveys a message of respect and mourning. Federal Flags says this custom is most often observed following the death of a government official, military personnel or in response to a national tragedy. Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@ or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Why are flags at half-staff today? Iowa honors Sen. Rocky De Witt
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iowa Sen. Rocky De Witt dies of pancreatic cancer at age 66
Iowa Sen. Rocky De Witt, a Republican from Lawton, has died of pancreatic cancer. He was 66. In a statement, Gov. Kim Reynolds said she and her husband Kevin were "deeply saddened" to learn of De Witt's passing on Wednesday, June 25. She said De Witt "spent a life dedicated to serving his neighbors in Northwest Iowa" before his election to the Iowa Senate in 2022. He represented Senate District 1, which covers much of Woodbury County, including Sioux City and Lawton. "In just three years, Rocky made a profound impact in the state legislature, all while heroically battling cancer," Reynolds said. "Rocky was a dedicated husband and a loving father and grandfather. His family and friends remain in our prayers.' Iowa law requires Reynolds to call a special election to fill his Iowa Senate seat within five days. De Witt's four-year term ends in January 2027. Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, who in 2024 announced he was receiving treatment for a brain tumor, said he and De Witt "developed an uncommon bond as we both journeyed through cancer diagnoses together." "He was loved by everyone in our caucus, and he will be deeply missed by all of us," Whitver said. "He was part of our Senate Republican family, and we mourn with his family just as we would mourn any member of our own.' De Witt worked for MidAmerican Energy for 22 years and formerly worked in courthouse security for the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office. He previously served on the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors. He was a staunch supporter of Second Amendment rights and was a lifetime NRA member and a federally licensed gun dealer, according to a Senate news release. 'Rocky was a passionate defender of the rights of the individual," Whitver said. "From the Second Amendment, to life, and the right of Iowans to keep more of the money they earn, Iowans could count on Rocky to protect their life, liberties and pursuit of happiness." He led efforts to pass for a second time a constitutional amendment requiring a legislative supermajority to raise income taxes. Senate President Amy Sinclair said De Witt "will be greatly missed at the Capitol and at home" and shared condolences to his family, friends and constituents. 'I am privileged to have had the opportunity to serve with Senator De Witt," Sinclair said. "His common-sense approach and grounded demeanor were a great asset to our caucus, as he faithfully served the people of Senate District 1. Despite his painful battle with cancer, he was selflessly devoted to our state serving his constituents until the end. His legacy of public service to Woodbury County and the State of Iowa will continue to inspire me." Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, said in a statement that her and her fellow Senate Democrats' thoughts were with the De Witt family as they grieve the late senator. 'Sen. De Witt and I may not have agreed on every legislative issue, but I always respected his dedication to his work for the people of Iowa, even while battling his illness," Weiner said. De Witt was a father and grandfather and member of Morningside Lutheran Church, according to a news release. 'The two positions Rocky held were honors that he did not take for granted," his nephew Kolby De Witt said in a statement on social media. "Rocky understood that he was a caretaker of the two seats that he was elected to, and that they ultimately belong to Iowans. I consider myself blessed to have been part of Rocky's family, and my opportunity to walk with him through the difficulties and triumphs of public service." Whitver shared De Witt's closing remarks on the 2025 legislative session that he said reflected the late senator's values. "The Iowa state Constitution does not belong to this chamber, it doesn't belong to the House, it doesn't belong to the governor, it doesn't even belong to the State of Iowa," De Witt wrote. "It belongs to the people of this state. It belongs to the citizens of this state, and they have entrusted us to protect that Constitution. Why? It is a barrier between the citizens and government. It's not a guardrail, not a little lowly speed bump, it's a barrier that guarantees those folks that voted us in their freedoms, and freedom from excessive taxation is real." Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@ Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @marissajpayne. This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Sen. Rocky De Witt dies of pancreatic cancer at age 66
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reynolds sets Aug. 26 special election to fill Iowa Senate seat of late Sen. Rocky De Witt
Gov. Kim Reynolds has set a special election for Aug. 26 to fill the western Iowa Senate seat of the late Sen. Rocky De Witt. Reynolds announced the special election in a news release. Iowa Senate District 1 includes parts of Woodbury County, including parts of Sioux City and Lawton. De Witt, a Republican from Lawton, died June 25 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 66. He was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2022 and previously served on the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors and as a member of the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office. Iowa law requires the governor to call a special election to fill vacancies in the Iowa Legislature. The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of De Witt's term, which ends in January 2027. Iowa has already seen three special elections this year to fill vacancies in the Iowa Legislature. In January, Democrat Mike Zimmer pulled off a surprise victory over Republican Kate Whittington in an eastern Iowa Senate seat that Chris Cournoyer vacated when she became lieutenant governor. In March, Republicans narrowly held a House seat that became vacant after former Rep. Martin Graber died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Republican Blaine Watkins defeated Democrat Nannette Griffin. And in April, Democrat Angelina Ramirez won a special election to the Iowa House to replace Rep. Sami Scheetz, who resigned after being appointed to the Linn County Board of Supervisors. Ramirez defeated Republican Bernie Hayes. Republicans hold supermajorities in both the Iowa House and Senate. Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@ or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Kim Reynolds sets Aug. 26 special election to fill Iowa Senate seat
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican Jim Carlin launches primary bid against U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst in week of campaign kickoffs
Former state Sen. Jim Carlin, shown here at a rally in October 2021, has launched a Republican campaign for U.S. senator. (Photo by Katie Akin/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Former state legislator Jim Carlin, a Republican, announced he is running for Iowa's U.S. Senate seat in the upcoming election — the latest candidate this week to announce their plans to run in 2026. Carlin, who served in the Iowa Senate from 2017 through 2023 and previously in the Iowa House, is running for the seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst. Since his time in the Iowa Legislature, Carlin went on to found the Iowa Liberty Network, an organization focused on recruiting and electing 'constitutional conservative' candidates in state government and other public offices. In an interview with the Iowa Capital Dispatch, Carlin said Ernst is not reflecting Iowa Republicans' values in Congress. He pointed to the Heritage Action scorecard for Ernst from the 2023 session, when she received a 42% score on how often her votes aligned with conservative goals. He pointed to her support for money to aid Ukraine in its war against Russia and her vote in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act as examples of Ernst not voting in line with conservative values. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Carlin said Ernst has not delivered on her commitment 'make 'em squeal' by cutting federal spending, as well as promises to work to repeal the Affordable Care Act and 2014 campaign statement that she would only serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. 'The people of Iowa can judge whether or not she's keeping those promises,' Carlin said. 'And I believe that when they … evaluate it, when they look at her voting record and the decisions she's made as a sitting senator, that they will come to the conclusion that she doesn't represent them well in terms of the things they want to see done and the things that they believe in.' Bryan Kraber, Ernst's 2026 campaign manager, pointed to Carlin's failed primary bid against U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley in the 2022 election. 'Good luck trying to take on this combat veteran,' Kraber said in a statement Friday. 'Senator Ernst has a proven record of conservative leadership—cutting waste, securing the border, and making Washington squeal to keep Iowans' hard-earned money in their own pockets. And she delivers for our families, farmers, and veterans. Iowans already saw through Carlin's last failed campaign, and they'll reject his desperate attempt at relevance again in 2026.' Though Carlin and Ernst are battling on conservative bonafides, much of the conversation centered on the upcoming race has focused on Ernst's town hall statement that 'we are all going to die' last week during talks on the funding cuts to Medicaid included in the budget reconciliation bill passed by the U.S. House. Carlin said he supports President Donald Trump's spending goals and believes cuts that should be made to federal programs but 'her handling of that showed a lack of judgment.' 'You don't flippantly say to people, 'well, we're all going to die,'' Carlin said. 'That actually kind of reminds me of Hillary Clinton's statement, 'what difference does it make,' on the other side of Benghazi when people died. I thought it was really inappropriate.' Iowa Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, announced Monday he would compete for the Democratic nomination, saying he 'just can't sit on the sidelines' following the Senator's comments. Scholten and Nathan Sage, a Mason City Democrat, are the only Democrats to have officially joined the race, but other potential Democratic candidates also weighed in on Ernst's comments this week. State Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, who has expressed interested in a run, said 'it is of course true that we are all going to die, but our Senators shouldn't be the ones killing us' in response to Ernst's comments. State Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, is also weighing a bid for the seat. Turek joined a call with Protect Our Care Iowa, an organization advocating for health care access through programs like Medicaid, on Thursday and said the proposal to reduce Medicaid spending by $625 billion in the next decade and implement work requirements will prevent more people with disabilities from accessing needed care. Republicans supporting the 'big, beautiful' tax and spending bill have repeatedly stated people with disabilities and complex medical conditions as well other protected populations, like minors, seniors, parents of dependent children and pregnant people will not be subject to work requirements or taken off the program. But Turek said as a person with a disability who has worked for an organization assessing and providing mobility devices, he has extensive experience with how funding cuts and moves like Iowa's Medicaid privatization have limited access to needed health care and services for Iowans with disabilities. The state legislator said he went to Washington, D.C., to speak with all members of Iowa's federal delegation about how the proposed changes will hurt people in need. 'I talked to them specifically about this bill and about the cuts to Medicaid, and additionally about what they're looking at doing on grant funding,' Turek said. 'And we're looking at 140 organizations and groups here in Iowa, disability services — beyond just Medicaid, that are looking at losing all of their funding in some cases, or 50%, 25%. They cannot plead ignorance. They know exactly what this bill is. It's a tax break to the richest, most wealthy Americans off the backs of the poorest and the most vulnerable.' Ernst's comment also led to another campaign launch for the Iowa House. India May, the 33-year-old from Charles City who sparked Ernst's comments on Medicaid during the Parkersburg town hall, is running for Iowa House District 58, currently represented by Republican Rep. Charley Thomson, R-Charles City. May, the Ionia Public Library director, is a county death investigator for Chickasaw County and registered nurse. She shouted 'people will die' at Ernst during the public meeting. 'People are not — well, we all are going to die, so for heaven's sake,' Ernst responded. The day after the meeting, Ernst made an 'apology video' filmed in a cemetery where she said she 'made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth.' 'So I apologize, and I'm really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well,' Ernst said in the video. She also added that 'for those that would like to see eternal and everlasting life, I encourage you to embrace my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.' In a social media post responding to the video, May wrote that Ernst's apology was 'disingenuous and reinforced gaslighting and christofascism aimed toward her MAGA supporters.' She also used the platform to highlight her own run for office. 'In short, my response to Joni's phoney apology is this: I don't want to see another Iowan choose between medicine or food. It's already happening and this bill will make it worse,' May wrote. '… Joni may be disappointed to know that I will continue to email her every day with my concerns, and that it is my intention to run as a progressive Democrat for Iowa House District 58, to undo the damage caused by the incumbent, Charley Thomson, who recently made headlines for targeting a nonprofit organization.' May had referenced the directive sent by Thomson in his capacity as the House government oversight committee chair to the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, an immigrant rights organization, requesting information about the nonprofit organization's clients, donors and members. An attorney for Iowa MMJ rejected the request in April, saying it was not legally valid. Iowa Rep. Eddie Andrews launched his bid for Iowa governor Wednesday, running as a Republican for the seat that will be vacated by Gov. Kim Reynolds following the 2026 election. Andrews, a Johnston Republican first elected in 2020, is one of the first GOP candidates to officially run in what is expected to be a crowded field. Former state Rep. Brad Sherman had announced he is running as a Republican gubernatorial candidate before Reynolds left the race. U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra and Iowa Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, have both launched exploratory committees for a gubernatorial campaign, and other high-profile Iowa Republicans like Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and House Speaker Pat Grassley have expressed interest but not made a decision on whether to run. In a news release on his run, Andrews said his work as a state lawmaker shows why Iowans should back his campaign — he highlighted his support for 'landowner rights' through supporting bills restricting the use of eminent domain in carbon sequestration pipeline projects, efforts to increase psychiatric residencies and provide more incentives to keep doctors in the state, as well as proposals to end sales tax on certain essential items. As governor, Andrews said he wants to focus on improving Iowa's education system, making mental health care more accessible, and pledged to 'destroy the human trafficking industry in our state.' 'Iowa deserves a Governor who listens and delivers,' Andrews said in a statement. 'My experience as a tech entrepreneur, minister and legislator prepares me to serve you.' Democrat Julie Stauch, a longtime Iowa political operative, also launched her campaign for governor this week. Iowa Auditor Rob Sand is considered the frontrunner in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, though Stauch alongside Democrat Paul Dahl will be competing against him in the primary June 2, 2026. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legislators listened to the people of Iowa. It's up to Kim Reynolds now.
After three years and four pieces of legislation sent to the Iowa Senate by the Iowa House, on May 12 the chickens came home to roost. The voices of the people were drowned out no more, and thanks to 11 brave senators who refused to buckle, a vote was forced on legislation to protect the landowners of Iowa against the use of eminent domain to seize their property to build Summit Carbon Solutions' CO2 pipeline. The pipeline can be built with voluntary easements, but instead, to save money, Summit has chosen to use the heavy hand of government power through eminent domain to seize the land of others. I have been told that many who refused to sign easements were treated disrespectfully. This project in the opinion of many legal scholars does not meet the Iowa constitutional requirement for being a public use project and runs afoul of the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution. More: What is eminent domain? What to know about Iowa's bill limiting it for carbon pipelines Property rights are in our DNA as Americans. It is one of the reasons we fought a revolution, and as George Washington reminded us, 'Freedom and property rights are inseparable. You can't have one without the other.' With our state motto being 'Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain,' it should have come as no surprise that the citizens of Iowa would fight to protect their fundamental right of private property. So, here we are today. The House sent four pieces of legislation to the Senate over a three-year period to protect landowners. Senate leadership refused to bring them to the floor for a vote. This year we sent them two strong bills to uphold the Constitutional rights of landowners. One of them they ignored, and Sen. Mike Bousselot attempted to destroy the other one with a poison pill amendment that did nothing to protect property owners impacted by the Summit CO2 pipeline. Thanks to 11 brave Republican senators who refused to pass budgets until the voices of the people were heard, House File 639 came to the floor for a vote in the Senate. As a Republican, I was saddened to see how some Republican senators conducted themselves on the floor, attacking the freedom fighters who insisted that the voices of the people be heard, and the Constitution be upheld. House File 639 was attacked as being written by environmental extremists, a ridiculous argument. The bill was written by conservative Republicans, including myself. We are not environmental extremists; we support the concept that we should Drill, Baby, Drill, but we also believe in the Constitution and insist that its principles and protections be honored. More: How Iowa lawmakers voted on a bill limiting eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines House File 639 was also attacked as being a terrible bill. Yet, those attacking it offered no alternatives that truly protected landowners. Those attacking it were sent four pieces of legislation over a three-year period, and they did nothing. Their claim of being for landowner rights was betrayed by their actions. In the spirit of GOP Party Chair Jeff Kaufmann, who in 2006 wrote eminent domain legislation to protect landowners and spearheaded the successful effort to override Gov. Tom Vilsack's veto of it, and in keeping with the requirements of the Iowa Constitution and the Republican Party of Iowa Platform, House File 639 passed both chambers with the majority of elected Republicans in support. In contrast to past efforts in which Democrats opposed eminent domain protections, this time many of them supported the legislation. House File 639 passed with bipartisan support. It passed by a vote of 85 to 10 in the House and 27 to 22 in the Senate. The people, through their elected representatives, have spoken. Lobbyists supporting renewable fuels believe the pipeline must be built to support ethanol. This is in fact an economic development argument, not an argument that supports the constitutional public use requirement. The pipeline can be built with voluntary easements, and the fact that some believe it to be essential for the future of ethanol does not mean we toss the Constitution aside. We must not do that because that is not who we are. We can support economic development, we can support agriculture, while also supporting the constitutional rights of my constituents in Shelby County and across our amazing state. For over three years I have watched landowners fight for their private property rights, and in fighting for these rights, they were fighting for the rights of all of us. They have lived with uncertainty, threats, fear, exhaustion, and economic hardship in having to hire attorneys and fight for the legacy of their land and the future of their children. I have seen the frustration in their eyes with their government when year after year their voices were ignored in the Senate as elected officials hid behind process. Some elected officials had to be reminded that government exists in our great country not to restrain the people, but rather to constrain itself, because the power in the United States of America and the state of Iowa must always belong to the people. Thanks to the steadfast effort of House Republicans, the incredible efforts of landowners, and 11 brave senators, the voices of the people have been heard, and they reverberate in House File 639. It only remains for the governor to recognize the will of the people and their constitutional rights and sign this legislation as quickly as possible. I look forward to our governor signing this legislation, cementing her legacy as a leader who stands for freedom and the Constitution, as she has done since she became our governor. State Rep. Steve Holt of Denison represents Iowa House District 12. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: On eminent domain for carbon pipelines, Iowans were heard | Opinion
