Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks devoted about half of this show to a local story that has gained national attention: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Dr. Ian Roberts, the superintendent of Iowa's largest school district. Laura shared the latest news from a special Des Moines School Board meeting (which wrapped up minutes before air time), and they discussed several legal angles, unanswered questions about the case, and political reaction from both parties. Other topics covered: a new Iowa Senate majority leader, two more Republicans running for Congress in the second district, one Republican dropping out of the fourth Congressional district race, a Libertarian preparing to run for U.S. Senate, Ashley Hinson's efforts to elevate one of her Democratic opponents, and a Democratic victory (by two votes!) in a red county special election.

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover news from the week in Iowa politics, starting with the sad news that Democratic State Senator Claire Celsi has entered hospice care. They talked about Republican Jack Whitver's decision to step down as Iowa Senate majority leader, his lasting impact on the Senate, and possible candidates to replace him. Other topics covered: an Iowa House Republican resigns for a Trump administration job, a poll testing messages about Randy Feenstra and Rob Sand, more endorsements for Senate candidate Ashley Hinson, an internal poll showing a dead heat in the third Congressional district, an early look at some battleground state legislative races, the resignation of Iowa's Health and Human Services director, increased voter registrations for Medicaid applicants, and a federal lawsuit filed by a teacher fired over an insensitive post about Charlie Kirk. They ended with news from Congress as a possible federal government shutdown looms.

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa news related to Charlie Kirk's assassination: controversy over social media posts by some educators, a Johnson County official's decision not to lower flags to honor Kirk's memory, and calls to name a center at the University of Iowa after the conservative movement leader. They also discussed State Senator Catelin Drey's swearing in and her potential impact on the Iowa Senate, election forecaster ratings for Iowa's 2026 elections, highlights from a Polk County Democratic event, other news from the campaign trail, the final meeting of Iowa's DOGE task force, limits on nonprofit work to help new citizens register to vote, several stories related to water quality, and three Iowa Supreme Court rulings they didn't have time to cover in the spring.

Laura Belin and George A. Clark (filling in for Spencer Dirks) dug into Iowa's latest political reshuffle: Joni Ernst's exit and Ashley Hinson's Senate campaign launch, Hinson's competition for the GOP nomination, and the Republicans lining up to run for Hinson's seat in Congress. Other topics covered: another Democrat running for Senate, new endorsements for Josh Turek, another Republican running in the fourth Congressional district, town halls held by Rob Sand, Julie Stauch, and Sarah Trone Garriott, a Zach Nunn "community forum" that wasn't, and the state of Iowa's new law enforcement agreement with the Meskwaki Nation.

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with reporting that Senator Joni Ernst won't seek re-election in 2026, other potential GOP candidates for U.S. Senate, and the first "principled conservative" endorsement for Jim Carlin in that race. They dug into a Democrat's convincing victory in an Iowa Senate district that voted for Donald Trump, and a Republican county supervisor's epic Facebook rant blaming his own party leaders for the outcome. Other topics covered: another Democrat running in IA-04, a recap of who's running in all of Iowa's federal and statewide races, a labor union endorsement for Rob Sand, Ashley Hinson's new way of talking about the budget reconciliation bill, Nate Boulton's planned political comeback, Trump still tangling with Chuck Grassley over "blue slips," and Laura's tour of the new federal courthouse in Des Moines.

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with more new candidate announcements: another Republican running for governor and two more Democrats running for Congress. They discussed news from several 2026 races, an internal poll suggesting Senator Joni Ernst is vulnerable, and Chuck Grassley dodging a question about his 2028 plans. Other topics covered: the Iowa Democratic Party's survey about the future of the caucuses, a viral social media post by Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a taxpayer funded TV ad for Zach Nunn, another Iowa visit by Bernie Sanders, the high cost of school vouchers, and a preview of the August 26 special election in an Iowa Senate district covering part of Sioux City.

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with State Representative Josh Turek, the fifth Iowa Democrat to announce for U.S. Senate; less than a week later, State Representative J.D. Scholten left that race and endorsed Turek. They discussed other news related to the Senate race, then highlights from the Iowa Democratic Wing Ding, including pitches from all of the Senate contenders, both Democrats running for governor, and five candidates for Congress. Other topics covered: reaction to President Donald Trump's attack on voting by mail; Rob Sand's promises on Medicaid and school vouchers; political notes from the Iowa State Fair; legislative leaders ruling out big changes to the state's largest pension program; and Governor Kim Reynolds deploying the Iowa National Guard to assist immigration enforcement.

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news from Iowa's U.S. Senate race: Jackie Norris became the fourth Democrat in the field, and Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona came to boost Iowa Dems. Other topics covered: a third Democrat running in Iowa's third Congressional district, Rob Sand's latest comments on Iowa's water quality problems, the Iowa DOGE task force's proposals to change the state's main public pension system and establish merit pay for teachers, a separate proposal to privatize health care in Iowa prisons, federal funding cuts for healthy food access and education, new USDA investments in rural development, Senator Chuck Grassley's hold on some Treasury Department nominees, Grassley's silence about President Donald Trump's purge of inspectors general, and his latest comments about the dust-up with Trump over Judiciary Committee "blue slips." 

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with the Fox News "undercover" video that sparked an investigation into the University of Iowa's DEI practices, a spat between President Trump and Senator Chuck Grassley, some partisan Senate confirmation votes, and Senator Joni Ernst opposing a ban on individual stock trading by members of Congress. Other topics covered: a forum featuring three Republicans running for governor (but not Randy Feenstra), more candidates likely to run for governor or U.S. Senate, a sporting event disrupted by Iowa's dirty water, a new Iowa House majority leader, early enforcement of Iowa's new hands-free driving law, corporate lobbying for a pesticide immunity bill, a new job for a former GOP legislator, and the one-year anniversary of the state's near-total abortion ban.

Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news from Washington, DC: the Trump administration's retreat on freezing K-12 education funds, U.S. House turmoil over the Epstein files, and work that may cut into the Senate's long summer break. They discussed two new Congressional candidates in IA-04 and one in IA-02; Senate campaign news related to Joni Ernst, Zach Wahls, Josh Turek, and Nathan Sage; gubernatorial campaign news related to Randy Feenstra, Brad Sherman, CO2 pipeline politics, Rob Sand, and Julie Stauch. Other topics covered: the first ad for the Iowa Senate district 1 special election, Governor Kim Reynolds' low approval rating, and Laura's deep dive on why Iowa finally enacted an anti-SLAPP law.