You don’t win races you don’t run. And because we’ve made getting involved such a slog, no one wants to run.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, hosts Zachary Oren Smith speaks with Blue Missouri’s Jess Piper about what happens when a party decides not to compete in our rural states.

In 2022, over 40% of legislative seats went uncontested. That dropped to just 18% in 2024. Competing isn’t winning, but Piper argues making the effort makes a difference.

Join the conversation with Amie Rivers and hear about a push to criminalize drag shows, the opacity of the state’s private school voucher program, and primary jockeying among Republicans for election years that haven’t begun.

Links:

* 1st Story - Taking someone under 18 to a drag show would be a felony under Iowa House bill (Des Moines Register)

* 2nd Story - State agencies block Auditor Sand during review of private school voucher program (Iowa Starting Line)

* 3rd Story - Former Republican state representative to challenge Kim Reynolds for Iowa governor seat (Des Moines Register)

Guest:

* Jess Piper is the executive director of Blue Missouri and the host of Dirt Road Democrat podcast.

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