Laura Belin
Laura Belin has been called “probably the hardest-working — and perhaps the best — political reporter in the state” and “one of the best investigative reporters in the state.”
Appears in 93 Episodes
Iowa Senate leadership change, 2026 campaign polls, lawsuit over Charlie Kirk fallout
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...
Iowa angles on Kirk assassination; Polk County Steak Fry highlights; DOGE recommendations
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 off...
Ernst out, Hinson in; new Congressional candidates; Democratic town halls
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...
Ernst retirement watch, Sioux City special, Nate Boulton comeback
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 firs...
New candidates, Dems weigh caucus future, a high-stakes special election
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with more new candidate announcements: another Republican running for governor and two more Democrats running for Congress. They di...
Turek in, Scholten out; lots more 2026 campaign news
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 Representa...
Norris joins Senate field, Iowa DOGE touches third rail, Grassley on Trump
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...
U Iowa targeted over DEI; Trump dings Grassley; Feenstra a no-show
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 Pres...
Iowa campaigns for Congress, Senate, governor; passing an anti-SLAPP law
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 Eps...
Iowa public tv/radio cuts, more new candidates, 2Q fundraising
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news from Congress: the bill cutting $9 billion in spending, the potential impact on Iowa public radio and television, frozen ...
A whole lot of Iowa campaign news
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Zach Nunn's bizarre trial balloon, followed by his retreat after speaking to President Donald Trump. They also discussed specu...
Iowa angles on BBB; Trump rally in DSM; Windschitl in, Bird out
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks covered that monumental budget reconciliation bill from many angles, with a focus on the Iowa impact and role in Iowa's 2026 campaigns: t...
New candidates, Sand town halls, Iowa impact of SCOTUS rulings
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa angles on the big budget reconciliation bill, including how cuts to food assistance could cost the state tens of millions...
Iran strikes, Bohannan campaign, Iowa angles on ICE and Pride Month
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa political reaction to U.S. strikes against Iran, Christina Bohannan's campaign launch in Iowa's first Congressional distr...
Iowa ties to MN tragedy, Governor's vetoes and bill signings, Wahls declares for Senate
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa angles on the horrific political shootings in Minnesota. They discussed Governor Kim Reynolds' unsurprising veto of an em...
Two more candidates for governor and lots of news about Iowa's Senate race
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with the governor's race, where Republican Eddie Andrews and Democrat Julie Stauch launched campaigns and Democratic front-runner R...
Fallout from Ernst's town hall gaffe; more 2026 campaign news
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with the Iowa political event that became a major national news story: Senator Joni Ernst's reminder that "we all are going to die....
2026 campaign news and Iowa angles on the "big, beautiful bill"
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks review the week in Iowa politics, starting with the latest news from the 2026 campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate, and the Democrat wh...
More trial balloons, legislative session ends, court rules on "don't say gay/trans"
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks recapped an extremely busy week in Iowa politics, starting with Randy Feenstra's moves toward running for governor, a hint about Brenna B...
So many Iowa candidate announcements
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks had loads of 2026 campaign news to discuss. Rob Sand (D) launched his campaign for governor, Randy Feenstra (R) took the first step towar...