Zachary Oren Smith
@zacharyos.bsky.social
Just your friendly neighborhood reporter ● Writes about Iowa politics for @iastartingline ● Host of Cornhole Champions, your new fav Iowa podcast
Pinned
Zachary Oren Smith
@zacharyos.bsky.social
· Jun 25
Ottumwa, Iowa's Job Corps is a success story: 94% job placement rate, stable housing for at-risk youth, economic driver for small towns.
Trump's response? Shut it down.
This is about more than one program—it's about abandoning communities that need us most.
Trump's response? Shut it down.
This is about more than one program—it's about abandoning communities that need us most.
does the moth not yearn for the flame
Zach.
ZACH.
You don't have to set your hot takes to lava.
ZACH.
You don't have to set your hot takes to lava.
September 18, 2025 at 12:38 AM
does the moth not yearn for the flame
Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith
First the corn sweats. Then it comes for you in every gas station parking lot.
The woke mob came for me. My takes are on life support. clinging to life.
September 18, 2025 at 12:34 AM
First the corn sweats. Then it comes for you in every gas station parking lot.
WHITVER TO RETIRE - Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Grimes, will not run for reelection. He said he’ll continue to see as Leader until Senate Republicans meet to select a new leader in the “near future.”
Here’s the full release:
Here’s the full release:
September 16, 2025 at 9:08 PM
WHITVER TO RETIRE - Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Grimes, will not run for reelection. He said he’ll continue to see as Leader until Senate Republicans meet to select a new leader in the “near future.”
Here’s the full release:
Here’s the full release:
In response to the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags at half-staff immediately until Sunday in conjunction with President Donald Trump’s flag order.
September 10, 2025 at 10:39 PM
In response to the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags at half-staff immediately until Sunday in conjunction with President Donald Trump’s flag order.
UPDATE: It’s private now.
September 4, 2025 at 9:13 PM
UPDATE: It’s private now.
NUNN TOWN HALL - IA-03 US Rep. Zach Nunn to hold a town hall at 1 p.m. tomorrow in Jefferson. This after calling them a “taxpayer-funded protest event."
It’s being held at Gravitate Coworking (204 E State St, Jefferson, IA 50129)
www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2025/09/04/c...
It’s being held at Gravitate Coworking (204 E State St, Jefferson, IA 50129)
www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2025/09/04/c...
Congressman Nunn to Stop in Jefferson Tomorrow
Iowa’s Third Congressional District Representative will be in Jefferson tomorrow. Congressman Zach Nunn says following a visit with elected officials in Greene County and with some of the local…
www.raccoonvalleyradio.com
September 4, 2025 at 7:28 PM
NUNN TOWN HALL - IA-03 US Rep. Zach Nunn to hold a town hall at 1 p.m. tomorrow in Jefferson. This after calling them a “taxpayer-funded protest event."
It’s being held at Gravitate Coworking (204 E State St, Jefferson, IA 50129)
www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2025/09/04/c...
It’s being held at Gravitate Coworking (204 E State St, Jefferson, IA 50129)
www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2025/09/04/c...
DVIP+RVAP LEADERSHIP CHANGE - DVIP & RVAP have chosen Alta Medea and Delaney Dixon to lead the organization that serves those impacted by domestic and sexual violence for Cedar, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Johnson, Lee, Van Buren, and Washington counties.
September 4, 2025 at 2:38 PM
DVIP+RVAP LEADERSHIP CHANGE - DVIP & RVAP have chosen Alta Medea and Delaney Dixon to lead the organization that serves those impacted by domestic and sexual violence for Cedar, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Johnson, Lee, Van Buren, and Washington counties.
HINSON 4 SENATE - Republican US Rep. Ashley Hinson to run for US Sen. Joni Ernst’s seat. Ernst announced today that she would not run for reelection.
September 2, 2025 at 9:14 PM
HINSON 4 SENATE - Republican US Rep. Ashley Hinson to run for US Sen. Joni Ernst’s seat. Ernst announced today that she would not run for reelection.
ERNST TO RETIRE - Today, US SEN. Joni Ernst announced she will not run for reelection in 2026. Full video from twitter:
September 2, 2025 at 5:11 PM
ERNST TO RETIRE - Today, US SEN. Joni Ernst announced she will not run for reelection in 2026. Full video from twitter:
Source pointed out Iowa rarely has an open US Senate seat. This would be the third in the last half century, providing retirement report is true:
🗳️2026 - ???
🗳️2014 - Tom Harkin retires. Ernst wins. (D➡️R)
🗳️1974 - Harold Hughes retires. Culver* wins. (D➡️D)
🗳️2026 - ???
🗳️2014 - Tom Harkin retires. Ernst wins. (D➡️R)
🗳️1974 - Harold Hughes retires. Culver* wins. (D➡️D)
August 29, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Source pointed out Iowa rarely has an open US Senate seat. This would be the third in the last half century, providing retirement report is true:
🗳️2026 - ???
🗳️2014 - Tom Harkin retires. Ernst wins. (D➡️R)
🗳️1974 - Harold Hughes retires. Culver* wins. (D➡️D)
🗳️2026 - ???
🗳️2014 - Tom Harkin retires. Ernst wins. (D➡️R)
🗳️1974 - Harold Hughes retires. Culver* wins. (D➡️D)
Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith
What a way to start the day! @zacharyos.bsky.social and I spoke to the woman of the hour, State Senator-elect Catelin Drey, and Iowa Senate Dem leader @janice4iowa.bsky.social about how they pulled off a big win in a Trump+11 district.
laurabelin.substack.com/p/iowa-senat...
laurabelin.substack.com/p/iowa-senat...
Iowa Senate special election results (ZOS X Laura Belin)
A recording from Laura Belin and Zachary Oren Smith's live video
laurabelin.substack.com
August 27, 2025 at 5:13 PM
What a way to start the day! @zacharyos.bsky.social and I spoke to the woman of the hour, State Senator-elect Catelin Drey, and Iowa Senate Dem leader @janice4iowa.bsky.social about how they pulled off a big win in a Trump+11 district.
laurabelin.substack.com/p/iowa-senat...
laurabelin.substack.com/p/iowa-senat...
We're getting started in 15. Join me and Bleeding Heartland's Laura Belin to talk about last night's special election results... with special guest...
Senator-elect Catelin Drey. Toss some bags with us at 8 a.m. open.substack.com/live-stream/...
Senator-elect Catelin Drey. Toss some bags with us at 8 a.m. open.substack.com/live-stream/...
LIVE SOON: IA Senate Special Election Results (ZOS X Laura Belin)
Starting Aug 27 at 9:00 AM EDT
open.substack.com
August 27, 2025 at 12:54 PM
We're getting started in 15. Join me and Bleeding Heartland's Laura Belin to talk about last night's special election results... with special guest...
Senator-elect Catelin Drey. Toss some bags with us at 8 a.m. open.substack.com/live-stream/...
Senator-elect Catelin Drey. Toss some bags with us at 8 a.m. open.substack.com/live-stream/...
Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith
ISL shoutout!
BREAKING: Iowa Democrat Catelin Drey breaks state Republican supermajority with Senate special election win
August 27, 2025 at 2:38 AM
ISL shoutout!
There’s literally not another two people that I want to hear from right now about this special election:
- Catelin Drey, the winning Democrat
- AND Laura Belin of Bleeding Heartland.
Join me tomorrow at 8 a.m. CT to walk through what happened tonight. open.substack.com/live-stream/...?
- Catelin Drey, the winning Democrat
- AND Laura Belin of Bleeding Heartland.
Join me tomorrow at 8 a.m. CT to walk through what happened tonight. open.substack.com/live-stream/...?
August 27, 2025 at 2:41 AM
There’s literally not another two people that I want to hear from right now about this special election:
- Catelin Drey, the winning Democrat
- AND Laura Belin of Bleeding Heartland.
Join me tomorrow at 8 a.m. CT to walk through what happened tonight. open.substack.com/live-stream/...?
- Catelin Drey, the winning Democrat
- AND Laura Belin of Bleeding Heartland.
Join me tomorrow at 8 a.m. CT to walk through what happened tonight. open.substack.com/live-stream/...?
Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith
Jackson Street is where folks are at tonight for those in Sioux City. (I’m in the clubhouse at the X’s game).
August 27, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Jackson Street is where folks are at tonight for those in Sioux City. (I’m in the clubhouse at the X’s game).
Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith
That's 8 a.m. Central time, Wednesday, August 27.
Join me tomorrow morning. The great @laurarbelin.bsky.social and I will be breaking down the results of tonight's special election in Sioux City for Iowa Senate District 1:
🔵 Catelin Drey
🔴 Christopher Prosch
We'll go live at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning on my Substack. Link in the bio.
🔵 Catelin Drey
🔴 Christopher Prosch
We'll go live at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning on my Substack. Link in the bio.
August 26, 2025 at 11:47 PM
That's 8 a.m. Central time, Wednesday, August 27.
Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith
I may be too much of an optimist but I am so happy every time I see dems overperforming (v 2024) in these Iowa special elections. It gives me real hope that we can turn the ship around in Iowa and nationally.
DREY BREAKS SUPERMAJORITY - Democrat Catelin Drey wins special election for Sioux City seat in Iowa Senate. That puts the Iowa Senate’s split is 33-17.
Tonight, Republicans lost their supermajority in the Iowa Senate.
Tonight, Republicans lost their supermajority in the Iowa Senate.
August 27, 2025 at 1:50 AM
I may be too much of an optimist but I am so happy every time I see dems overperforming (v 2024) in these Iowa special elections. It gives me real hope that we can turn the ship around in Iowa and nationally.
Wish I was at Buffalo Alice’s right now.
August 27, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Wish I was at Buffalo Alice’s right now.
DREY BREAKS SUPERMAJORITY - Democrat Catelin Drey wins special election for Sioux City seat in Iowa Senate. That puts the Iowa Senate’s split is 33-17.
Tonight, Republicans lost their supermajority in the Iowa Senate.
Tonight, Republicans lost their supermajority in the Iowa Senate.
August 27, 2025 at 1:39 AM
DREY BREAKS SUPERMAJORITY - Democrat Catelin Drey wins special election for Sioux City seat in Iowa Senate. That puts the Iowa Senate’s split is 33-17.
Tonight, Republicans lost their supermajority in the Iowa Senate.
Tonight, Republicans lost their supermajority in the Iowa Senate.
Join me tomorrow morning. The great @laurarbelin.bsky.social and I will be breaking down the results of tonight's special election in Sioux City for Iowa Senate District 1:
🔵 Catelin Drey
🔴 Christopher Prosch
We'll go live at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning on my Substack. Link in the bio.
🔵 Catelin Drey
🔴 Christopher Prosch
We'll go live at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning on my Substack. Link in the bio.
August 26, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Join me tomorrow morning. The great @laurarbelin.bsky.social and I will be breaking down the results of tonight's special election in Sioux City for Iowa Senate District 1:
🔵 Catelin Drey
🔴 Christopher Prosch
We'll go live at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning on my Substack. Link in the bio.
🔵 Catelin Drey
🔴 Christopher Prosch
We'll go live at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning on my Substack. Link in the bio.
Frmr UI prof @drlmmurillo.bsky.social writes Iowa anti-DEI crusade isn’t preventing division, but rather preventing thinking that might expose uncomfortable truths.
“They don’t have any real solutions, which is why they don’t want you asking questions in the first place.”
“They don’t have any real solutions, which is why they don’t want you asking questions in the first place.”
www.linammurillo.com
August 21, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Frmr UI prof @drlmmurillo.bsky.social writes Iowa anti-DEI crusade isn’t preventing division, but rather preventing thinking that might expose uncomfortable truths.
“They don’t have any real solutions, which is why they don’t want you asking questions in the first place.”
“They don’t have any real solutions, which is why they don’t want you asking questions in the first place.”
Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith
Hear about the D day invasion of crop dusters and other fun stuff here from me with @zacharyos.bsky.social
cornholechampions.substack.com/p/the-common...
cornholechampions.substack.com/p/the-common...
📻 The common good and the establishment (w/ Chris Jones) - Cornhole Champions Interview
Toss some bags at agricultural policy... why ethanol might be our biggest mistake... and what a progressive water policy might look like.
cornholechampions.substack.com
August 15, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Hear about the D day invasion of crop dusters and other fun stuff here from me with @zacharyos.bsky.social
cornholechampions.substack.com/p/the-common...
cornholechampions.substack.com/p/the-common...
Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith
Today Iowa Starting Line's @zacharyos.bsky.social and @amierivers.bsky.social spoke to me about their series in progress investigating cancer in Iowa.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ttN...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ttN...
Investigating cancer in Iowa, with Amie Rivers and Zachary Oren Smith
YouTube video by Bleeding Heartland
www.youtube.com
August 16, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Today Iowa Starting Line's @zacharyos.bsky.social and @amierivers.bsky.social spoke to me about their series in progress investigating cancer in Iowa.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ttN...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ttN...