Taking a look at Iowa politics in 2025 and what’s ahead in 2026

COMING UP ON KCCI EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP AS WE PREPARE TO CLOSE THE CURTAIN ON 2025, WE REVISIT THE DEFINING MOMENTS IN IOWA POLITICS AND LOOK AHEAD TO WHAT, 2020 6TH MAY BRING. PLUS, FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS ARE FORCING CHANGES FOR IOWA PUBLIC BROADCASTING AS BUDGETS TIGHTEN AND TOUGH CHOICES LOOM. HOW THEY’RE PROTECTING TRUSTED LOCAL PROGRAMS WHILE LEARNING TO DO MORE WITH LESS. YOU’RE WATCHING KCCI EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR KCCI EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER. FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING EFFECTIVELY STOPPED THIS PAST OCTOBER 1ST. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S RESCISSIONS ACT, PASSED IN JULY, CUT $1.1 BILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDING FROM PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THAT FORCED THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING TO WIND DOWN SOME OPERATIONS, LEAVING LOCAL STATIONS LIKE IOWA PBS WITHOUT CRUCIAL FEDERAL FUNDS. IT’S A MAJOR SHIFT FROM PREVIOUS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, ENDING MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP THAT SUPPORTED NPR AND PBS. PUBLIC MEDIA WILL NOW BE MORE RELIANT ON VIEWER DONATIONS AND PRIVATE FUNDING TO CONTINUE SERVING COMMUNITIES. NOW, THIS MORNING, WE HAVE ANDREW BOTT WITH US. HE’S THE IOWA PBS GENERAL MANAGER. ANDREW, THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. THANKS FOR HAVING ME, AMANDA. WELL, YOU HEAR ABOUT ALL OF THAT. WHAT IS THAT THOSE CUTS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR IOWA PBS? HOW HAVE YOU ALREADY SEEN THAT CHANGE THINGS. WHAT’S THE IMPACT? WASHINGTON AND IT TAKES A WHILE. THIS WAS A PRETTY IMMEDIATE THAT. FROM JULY, WHEN THE RESCISSIONS ACT WAS PASSED TO OCTOBER 1ST, WHEN THE NEW FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR STARTED. SO FOR IOWA PBS, THAT WAS AN IMMEDIATE ONE TIME CUT OF $3.5 MILLION ANNUALLY. THAT, AS YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR OPENING, THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR A HALF CENTURY. AND THAT IS THE STRUCTURE THAT PUBLIC MEDIA HAS BEEN BEEN BUILT AROUND HERE AT IOWA PBS, 3.5 MILLION. THAT IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO US. THAT’S ALMOST 20% OF OUR BUDGET ANNUALLY. AND WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR I THINK YOUR VIEWERS TO KNOW IS THAT OF THAT 3.5 MILLION, 90% OF IT HAS TO COME OUT OF WHAT WE DO LOCALLY. THE PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE IN IOWA. THE IOWANS THAT THAT PRODUCE PROGRAMING AND ENSURE THAT IT’S DELIVERED TO COMMUNITIES. AND THE PROGRAMS WE PRODUCE HERE IN THE STATE. SO HOW DO YOU MAKE DECISIONS WHEN YOU’RE WHEN YOU’RE HAVING THESE TOUGH, YOU KNOW, CALLS TO MAKE BETWEEN STAFFING AND LOCAL PROGRAMING? HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT TO DO? WELL, WE WANT TO PROTECT IOWANS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE WANT TO PROTECT THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY CARE ABOUT. WHAT WE LOOK AT IS, AND I WANT TO PROTECT MY STAFF. WE’VE WE HAVE A LOT OF STAFF THAT SPEND THEIR CAREERS AT IOWA PBS AND ARE DEVOTED TO THE MISSION OF DELIVERING THIS AS A PUBLIC SERVICE. SO WHAT WE HAVE APPROACHED IT AS IS, WHAT CAN WE DO THAT MITIGATES THE IMPACT ON IOWANS? WHAT CAN THAT BE? AND MAYBE NOT IN CANCELING PROGRAMS, BUT IN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF EPISODES WE PRODUCE THERE. WE ARE CUTTING BACK IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, AS MANY ORGANIZATIONS DO WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVEL TRAINING, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, THE ABILITY TO HAVE AS MANY INTERNS AS WE DO. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE PARING BACK. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE’RE ALSO OFFERING SOME PROGRAMING MORE NOW THAN EVER. WE PRODUCE MORE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE NOW THAN AT ANY TIME IN STATE HISTORY FOR BOTH GIRLS AND BOYS SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIPS. WE JUST HAD FALL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS ON IOWA PBS, AND WE KNOW MORE THAN A HALF MILLION IOWANS WATCH THAT PROGRAMING. YES, SOME IOWANS MAY NOT MAYBE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC MEDIA OR WHAT IT PROVIDES. CAN YOU WALK PEOPLE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE MISSION OF IOWA PBS IS? AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW HOW YOU THINK ABOUT STILL ACCOMPLISHING THAT MISSION WITH THE PULLBACK. YEAH, I CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR MISSION IS AND HOW WE ACCOMPLISH IT. SO IOWA PBS AND PUBLIC MEDIA WAS BUILT MORE THAN A HALF CENTURY AGO TO SERVE A COMMUNITY AS A NONCOMMERCIAL, EDUCATIONAL NETWORK. AND WE DO THAT IN MANY WAYS. SOME PROMINENT WAYS ARE THE KIDS PROGRAMING. WE WE WE AIR. THAT IS VERY VITAL THAT KIDS PROGRAMING. WE BROADCAST MORE THAN 10,000 HOURS OF KIDS PROGRAMING ACROSS OUR MAIN CHANNEL AND OUR 24 SEVEN KIDS CHANNEL THIS PAST YEAR. IT’S ALSO IN THE WORK WE DO TO IOWA HISTORY. WE’VE PRODUCED MORE THAN 30 DOCUMENTARIES IN THE PAST 12 YEARS ABOUT IOWA HISTORY. WE HAVE AN ENTIRE EDUCATION TEAM THAT THEN ADAPTS THAT HISTORY CONTENT INTO CLASSROOM EDUCATIONAL TOOLS THAT ARE USED IN CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE STATE. WE WE EDUCATE IOWANS ABOUT IOWA TOURISM WITH IOWA TRAVEL SHOWS LIKE ROAD TRIP IOWA, AND WE DO A LOT OF EDUCATING ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM THE IOWA STATE FAIR AND ITS HISTORY TO THE FOUNDATIONS OF OUR STATE FROM AN AGRICULTURAL PERSPECTIVE. SO WE THERE’S A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS THAT GO INTO THAT. AND WHEN YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF IOWA PBS, THERE’S THIS ONE TIME CUT. BUT DOES THIS SET THE STAGE FOR, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY FUTURE FUTURE CUTS OR I GUESS, HOW DO YOU PLAN, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO THE NEXT FEW YEARS, YOU HAVE TO BE SUSTAINABLE. AND THAT’S SOMETHING BEFORE THIS FEDERAL DECISION I WAS FOCUSED ON AND WE’RE FOCUSED ON IS HOW CAN YOU BE SUSTAINABLE AS MEDIA CHANGES, HOW THE WAY OUR VIEWERS AND IOWANS CONSUME MEDIA CHANGES? WE HAVE TO BE SUSTAINABLE BEFORE THAT. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY TO SEE IS IOWANS RESPOND. IT HAS NOT REPLACED THAT FEDERAL FUNDING, BUT IOWANS HAVE RESPONDED IN A LARGE, SUBSTANTIAL WAY. THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE. ONE THING I THINK IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR VIEWERS TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT A NONCOMMERCIAL, EDUCATIONAL CHANNEL LIKE IOWA PBS, THAT THE FEDERAL RECISION REMOVED FUNDING THAT HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR 50 YEARS, A HUGE CORNERSTONE OF HOW WE OPERATE. BUT NONE OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN PUBLIC BROADCASTING FROM A FEDERAL LEVEL WERE REMOVED. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? A COMMERCIAL STATION LIKE KCCI AND OTHERS? THEY LARGELY RETAIN REVENUE IN TWO LARGE, LARGE BUCKETS COMMERCIAL TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING AND RETRANSMISSION FEES. THOSE THOSE ARE VERY BIG COMPONENTS OF COMMERCIAL TELEVISION. IT IS AGAINST FEDERAL LAW FOR US TO RECEIVE A SINGLE PENNY IN EITHER FORM OF THAT. SO THAT’S WHY WE RAISE FUNDS THROUGH FOUNDATION WORK AND DONATIONS, ENDOWMENT WORK AND STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS. SO ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS HAVE BUILT PUBLIC TELEVISION. WE NEED TO DIVERSIFY OUR RESOURCES. BUT THIS IS A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN HOW WE’RE FUNDED FEDERALLY. BUT THE RULES AND THE ABILITY TO GAIN REVENUE HAS NOT CHANGED. DO YOU THINK IT’S SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE LOCAL PROGRAMING THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE, JUST WITH MAYBE LESS FREQUENCY? I THINK IT IS BECAUSE IT’S WHAT IOWANS VALUE, WHETHER IT BE THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS OR THE STATE FAIR. MORE, MORE VIEWERS WATCH THAT PROGRAMING THAN ANY OTHER LOCAL PROGRAMING ON OUR AIR, OUR STATE FAIR AND OUR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS. WE HAVE FOUND A PHILANTHROPIC WE DO HAVE UNDERWRITING COMMERCIAL SUPPORT THAT ARE BY THE THE MEANS THAT WE CAN RAISE THAT REVENUE LEGALLY. I DO BELIEVE IT’S SUSTAINABLE IF WE GO ABOUT THIS IN A REALLY SMART, CAREFUL, CONSERVATIVE BUDGETING WAY. BUT THE DECISION DOESN’T REALLY RESOLVE THE FUTURE OF HOW WE OPERATE. IT WAS DONE VERY QUICKLY WITHOUT ANY ABILITY TO MAKE A COMPROMISE. IN THE PAST, WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES TO IT, THERE WERE BIPARTISAN CONVERSATIONS AND A COMPROMISE. MAYBE THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS FUNDED, BUT THERE WAS A FLEXIBILITY CREATED FOR THOSE PUBLIC MEDIA ENTITIES TO RAISE REVENUE IN DIFFERENT WAYS. THAT HAPPENED IN THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION. THERE WAS A COMPROMISE. SO HOPEFULLY DOWN THE ROAD THERE CAN BE A CONVERSATION AND A COMPROMISE. WELL, ANDREW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME AND JOINING US THIS MORNING. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHEN WE COME BACK, WE TALK ABOUT LOOKING BACK AT THIS PAST YEAR. AS 2025 DRAWS TO A CLOSE, WE’RE REVISITING THE MAJOR, MAJOR TURNING POINTS IN IOWA POLITICS AND SIZING UP THE YEAR AHEAD. THAT’S COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP AS 2025 DRAWS TO A CLOSE, WE’RE TAKING STOCK OF A BUSY YEAR IN IOWA POLITICS AND LOOKING AHEAD TO WHAT COULD BE A VERY DIFFERENT LANDSCAPE IN 2026. LOT OF GROUND TO COVER, WE HAVE KCCI POLITICAL ANALYST DENNIS GOLDFORD WITH US THIS MORNING. DENNIS, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. ALWAYS A PLEASURE. WELL, IT LOOKED ON PAPER LIKE 2025 WAS GOING TO BE A MAYBE BORING OFF YEAR AND THEN THE YEAR PASSED AND IOWA POLITICS KIND OF LOOKS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK BACK OVER THIS PAST YEAR, WHAT ARE MAYBE SOME OF THE DEFINING MOMENTS THAT STICK OUT TO YOU? I THINK WHAT WE’RE SEEING IN IOWA POLITICS IS A KIND OF RESHUFFLING AND SHIFT IN TERMS OF OFFICEHOLDERS, AS WE’VE TALKED ABOUT, AGAIN, 2024, WE’VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, WAS FAIRLY DULL YEAR FOR IOWA OTHER THAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. AND ALL FOUR MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ARE SUBJECT TO REELECTION. AND THE IOWA LEGISLATURE, HALF THE SENATE, THE WHOLE HOUSE. BUT IT WAS REALLY RELATIVELY QUIET. 2026 WILL BE THE SUPER BOWL OF IOWA POLITICS, AND 2025 IS THE LEAD UP TO THAT. NOW, WE SAW IN 2025 THE GOVERNOR, KIM REYNOLDS, KIND OF SET OFF A POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE WHEN SHE ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WAS NOT GOING TO RUN FOR REELECTION, EVEN THOUGH SHE WASN’T NECESSARILY A LAME DUCK. THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION. HOW DID THAT DECISION IMMEDIATELY KIND OF CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR INSIDE THE PARTY AND ACROSS THE STATE? WELL, WITH HER DECISION NOT TO RUN AGAIN, OF COURSE, THAT OPENS THAT OFFICE. WE HAVEN’T HAD AN OPEN GOVERNOR’S RACE REALLY FOR QUITE SOME TIME, WHICH MEANS THERE’S NO INCUMBENT RUNNING. OF COURSE. AND THIS GIVES ALL THE OTHER MAJOR OFFICE HOLDERS AROUND THE STATE ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, ROB SAND, AMONG OTHERS. ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, CERTAINLY A COUPLE OF CONGRESSMEN THINKING ABOUT IT AND OTHERS. SO THEY’RE DECIDING WHAT’S THEIR NEXT CAREER STEP. NOW, POLITICALLY, OF COURSE, IT’S A DIFFICULT SITUATION WHEN YOU ANNOUNCE THAT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO RUN FOR REELECTION. ON THE ONE HAND, YOU DON’T WANT TO SAY NOTHING AND THEN LEAVE YOUR PARTY IN THE LURCH. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN DROPPED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 2024 RACE THAT LEFT THE DEMOCRATS SCRAMBLING, OF COURSE. AND SO NOBODY OF ANY PARTY WANTS TO DO THAT. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN YOU ANNOUNCE THAT YOU’RE NOT RUNNING AGAIN, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU IMMEDIATELY BECOME A LAME DUCK. PEOPLE START TO █LOOKBEYOND YOU. YOU MAY STILL CARRY A LITTLE POLITICAL WEIGHT, BUT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE ON A BALLOT WITH ANYBODY. AGAIN, ABLE TO ACTIVATE YOUR SUPPORTERS WHO SAY, BY THE WAY, WHILE YOU’RE VOTING FOR ME, VOTE FOR OR AGAINST SOMEBODY ELSE. YOU CAN’T DO THAT ANYMORE, RIGHT? WHICH IS GOING TO SET UP A REALLY INTERESTING 2026 AT THE STATE LEVEL, EVEN WHILE WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE CRAZY THINGS HAPPENING WITH THE MIDTERM ELECTION, BUT STILL REFLECTING ON 2025, THERE WAS THE POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE WHEN REYNOLDS SAID SHE’S NOT RUNNING FOR REELECTION. AND THEN ANOTHER BOMBSHELL WHEN SENATOR JONI ERNST SAID SHE’S NOT RUNNING FOR REELECTION. JUST HOW RARE IS IT TO HAVE BOTH AN OPEN IOWA GOVERNOR SEAT AND A U.S. SENATE SEAT? IF MY RESEARCH IS CORRECT, AND I DID A QUICK LOOK AT THAT, I THINK IT’S BEEN SINCE 1968, WHEN I BEFORE CERTAINLY A LOT OF US WERE AROUND HERE WHEN I HAD AN OPEN SENATE SEAT, U.S. SENATE SEAT, AND AN OPEN GOVERNOR’S SO THAT’S WHAT, 32 AND 26, IF YOU COUNT. THAT’S 58 YEARS. THAT’S QUITE A LONG TIME. SO THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL. BUT IS IT IS IT SOMETHING THAT’S A SIGN OF SOMETHING WRONG? NO, IT’S JUST COINCIDENTAL. AND IT ALSO KIND OF TRIGGERED A CHAIN REACTION. ASHLEY HANSON, WHO REPRESENTS IOWA’S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, ANNOUNCED SHE’S RUNNING FOR THE OPEN SENATE SEAT. RANDY FEENSTRA, WHO REPRESENTS IOWA’S FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, ANNOUNCED HE’S RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR. SO NOW WE HAVE ALL OF THESE OPENINGS AND, YOU KNOW, DOMINOES STARTING TO FALL. HOW UNUSUAL IS THIS KIND OF POLITICAL MUSICAL CHAIRS? WELL, IOWA’S A FAIRLY STABLE STATE POLITICALLY. YOU DON’T HAVE THIS KIND OF CHANGE ACROSS THE BOARD THAT OFTEN. YOUR TERM CHAIN REACTION IS A GOOD TERM FOR THAT. BECAUSE IF YOU’RE GOING TO VACATE ONE SEAT TO RUN FOR A HIGHER SEAT, THEN THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO JUMP IN THE FRAY FOR THAT LOWER LEVEL SEAT. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF INTERESTING RACES THIS NEXT YEAR, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT 2025 AND 2026 HAVEN’T REALLY CHANGED MUCH ABOUT THE PARTIZAN COMPOSITION OF IOWA POLITICS. THIS IS STILL A RED STATE. WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE A LONG TIME AGO, I WAS PRETTY MUCH A PURPLE STATE. YOU HAD DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS AND SENATORS. YOU HAD REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS AND SENATORS, OFFICE HOLDERS GENERALLY, REALLY FOR ABOUT THE LAST TEN, 15 YEARS OR SO, IOWA HAS BECOME A RED STATE. SO REPUBLICANS, WHATEVER RACES THEY’RE LOOKING AT, DO GO IN WITH AN ADVANTAGE, SOMETHING THAT’S BEEN INTERESTING TO ME, JUST WEIRDLY, THERE’S ALREADY A HUGE BUZZ ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND IT’S 2025. BUT REPUBLICANS MANTRA SEEM TO BE WE’VE GOT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP IOWA RED, TO KEEP IT THIS RED STATE, AS YOU MENTIONED. WHEREAS DEMOCRATS LARGELY SEE THIS AS THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY MAKE SOME FLIPS. YOU KNOW, WHAT’S AT STAKE HERE WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THOSE TWO MESSAGES? WELL, REMEMBER, BARRING SOME SORT OF SCANDAL, WHEN YOU HAVE AN INCUMBENT RUNNING FOR REELECTION FOR WHATEVER OFFICE, THAT INCUMBENT HAS THE ADVANTAGE, THE INCUMBENT, BY DEFINITION, HAS ALREADY WON A RACE IN THAT DISTRICT OR STATE. THE INCUMBENT HAS A MORE OF AN ONGOING CAMPAIGN, ORGANIZATION AND FUNDRAISING APPARATUS, SO INCUMBENTS OF ANY PARTY TEND TO BE FAVORED IF THEY’RE RUNNING FOR REELECTION WITHOUT ANY PARTICULAR SCANDAL. WHEN THE SEAT IS OPEN, THE PLAYING FIELD, IF NOT COMPLETELY LEVELED. AS I SAID, THIS IS STILL MORE OF A RED STATE, BUT THE PLAYING FIELD IS A LITTLE LESS TILTED THAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF THERE WERE AN INCUMBENT RUNNING. AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO PUT STARS IN AN ASPIRING POLITICAL CANDIDATES EYES, JUST TALK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF WINNING AN ELECTION FOR SOME PARTICULAR SEAT IN THE FUTURE. WELL, WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO TALK ABOUT, ABOUT WHAT’S TO COME IN 2026. OUR CONVERSATION WILL CONTINUE AFTER THE BREAK. STAY WITH US. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. WELL, WE’RE CLOSING OUT ON 2025 AND GEARING UP FOR AN INCREDIBLY BUSY YEAR IN 2026. I’M GOING TO HAVE LOTS OF COFFEE NEARBY AND PROBABLY HAVE DENNIS AROUND A TON TO BREAK EVERYTHING DOWN. THANKS FOR JOINING US, DENNIS. WE APPRECIATE IT. SURE. WELL, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 2025 COMING INTO 2026. THERE ARE LOTS OF RACES ON THE BALLOT. REPUBLICANS WANT TO DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO KEEP IOWA AS SOLIDLY RED AS IT’S BEEN IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, BUT DEMOCRATS ARE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE OPEN SEATS ON THE BALLOT. ALL OF THE SHIFTS AND CHANGES, AND ALSO MAYBE THE MOMENTUM OF IT BEING A MIDTERM ELECTION AND THINKING THIS IS A THIS IS A CHANCE TO SHIFT IOWA BLUE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT VOTER REGISTRATION TOTALS AND THOSE TWO CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES, WHAT DO YOU FORESEE WHEN IT COMES TO JUST HOW BIG CHANGES COULD BE IN STORE IN 2026? THIS IS WHY DEMOCRATS HAVE AN UPHILL BATTLE. I MEAN, REPUBLICANS CAN’T JUST SIT BACK AND BREAK OUT A CIGAR AND SAY, WE’VE GOT THIS. BUT STILL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FOUR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS, FOR EXAMPLE, REPUBLICANS HAVE A LEAD IN ALL FOUR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AND FOR THE MOST PART, IT’S NOT DEMOCRATS WHO ARE IN SECOND PLACE. IT’S UNDECIDED. SO-CALLED NO PARTY VOTERS. SO DEMOCRATS ARE IN A BIT OF A HOLE. THEY’VE THEY’VE BASICALLY ALWAYS STRUGGLED SOMEWHAT WITH RURAL AND SMALL TOWN VOTERS, BUT THEY’VE REALLY DUG THEMSELVES WITH THOSE FOLKS. IT USED TO BE THE CASE THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE SIX MOST URBAN COUNTIES IN THE STATE. SO AGAIN, POLK, SCOTT, DUBUQUE, BLACKHAWK, LYNN, AND I WOULD SAY JOHNSON, A REPUBLICAN FRIEND OF MINE, USED TO CALL THAT THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF JOHNSON COUNTY BECAUSE IT WAS SO LIBERAL. BUT DEMOCRATS ALWAYS HAD BIG MARGINS IN THOSE SIX COUNTIES, AND THOSE MARGINS WERE ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE DEFICIT DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD IN THE OTHER 93 COUNTIES IN THE STATE. WELL, DEMOCRATS HAVEN’T HAD THAT CUSHION. THOSE MARGINS IN THOSE SIX COUNTIES. SO THEY’VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT AT THE LEAST HOW TO LOSE THE RURAL COUNTIES, WHATEVER THE RACE MIGHT BE LESS BADLY THAN THEY HAVE. AND IDEALLY, FOR THEM, THEY WANT TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WIN SOME OF THOSE COUNTIES. SO DEMOCRATS HAVE A BIG CHALLENGE THIS COMING YEAR. IT’S INTERESTING. WE’RE ALREADY KIND OF SEEING SOME LANES EMERGE WITHIN SOME OF THESE COMPETITIVE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RACES. THERE ARE SOME DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES THAT ARE REALLY LEANING INTO SOME MORE KIND OF PROGRESSIVE POLICY IDEAS THAT I THINK WOULD RESONATE REALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH VOTERS IN SOME OF THOSE COUNTIES. AND THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON BEING MODERATE AND TRYING TO WIN OVER MAYBE THESE, YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENT VOTERS THAT YOU SAID THERE ARE A LOT OF IN IOWA, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE TWO CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES, IS THERE ONE MORE THAN THE OTHER THAT YOU THINK, YOU KNOW, MAY BE MORE EFFECTIVE, OR ARE THEY DO YOU NEED TO BE DOING BOTH AT THE SAME TIME? THAT’S THE TRICK. I MEAN, IN BOTH PARTIES YOU HAVE WELL, LET’S START WITH THE REPUBLICANS. OF COURSE, THERE ARE CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE THE TRUMP MAGA MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN KINDS OF REPUBLICANS. AND YOUR MORE TRADITIONAL I’VE SAID QUITE A WHILE THAT GOVERNOR ROBERT RAY WOULD NEVER GET A REPUBLICAN NOMINATION IN IOWA ANYMORE. IT’S GONE MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN MAGA. GENERALLY SPEAKING, LEAVING A LOT OF TRADITIONAL IOWA REPUBLICANS FEELING HOMELESS. SO THERE’S SOME TENSIONS THERE ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, OF COURSE, THAT’S THAT TENSION BETWEEN BEING A MORE CENTRIST KIND OF PARTY AND A MORE PROGRESSIVE KIND OF PARTY, FOCUSING ON CULTURAL ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WHEN THE CENTRIST DEMOCRATS SAY THAT YOU’RE FOCUSED ON CULTURAL ISSUES HAS HAS COST US ELECTORAL SUPPORT AMONG MORE MODERATE AND CONSERVATIVE VOTERS. SO BOTH PARTIES HAVE TO DEAL WITH, IN A WAY THE PURISTS VERSUS THE PRAGMATISTS. BUT JUST WHEN YOU LOOK AT VOTER BASE, YOU KNOW, TOTALS TO YOUR POINT THAT THERE ARE MORE INDEPENDENTS, YOU KNOW, UP FOR GRABS, MAYBE, HOWEVER, THAT VOTER BASE, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO BE COMPETING FOR THOSE VOTERS AS WELL. YEAH, BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, GENERALLY SPEAKING, AND THIS IS A BROAD GENERALIZATION, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INDEPENDENT VOTERS, ABOUT A THIRD OF INDEPENDENT VOTERS SAY THEY’RE INDEPENDENT, BUT THEY REALLY VOTE REPUBLICAN. ANOTHER THIRD SAY THEY’RE INDEPENDENT, BUT THEY REALLY VOTE DEMOCRATIC. ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF INDEPENDENTS OR SO ARE SO-CALLED

Close Up: Taking a look at Iowa politics in 2025 and what’s ahead in 2026

After a turbulent political year, Iowa is already looking toward a high stakes 2026. Federal funding for public broadcasting effectively stopped this past October 1st, now Iowa PBS is adjusting to a 20% cut to its annual budget.

Updated: 12:28 PM CST Dec 28, 2025

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On this week’s Close Up, as we prepare to close the curtain on 2025, we revisit the defining moments in Iowa politics and look ahead to what 2026 may bring.KCCI Political Analyst Dennis Goldford offers some predictions of what’s to come as we close out the year and how 2026 could bring a very different political landscape.Plus, the leader of Iowa PBS shares how the Trump Administration’s Rescissions Act, which cut $1.1 billion of federal funding from public broadcasting for the next two years, is directly affecting Iowa PBS’s budget and programming.Watch the full episode in the video player above.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

On this week’s Close Up, as we prepare to close the curtain on 2025, we revisit the defining moments in Iowa politics and look ahead to what 2026 may bring.

KCCI Political Analyst Dennis Goldford offers some predictions of what’s to come as we close out the year and how 2026 could bring a very different political landscape.

Plus, the leader of Iowa PBS shares how the Trump Administration’s Rescissions Act, which cut $1.1 billion of federal funding from public broadcasting for the next two years, is directly affecting Iowa PBS’s budget and programming.

Watch the full episode in the video player above.

» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page

» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play