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 117 Episodes
Iowa angles on Iran war; governor's race and legislative news
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news related to the war against Iran: two Iowa soldiers killed and returned to U.S. soil, the Iowa delegation's votes and comm...
Iran strikes, governor using state plane, campaign news
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa political reaction to the Trump administration's new military campaign in Iran and Iowa angles from last week's State of ...
So much funnel week news
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa political reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on President Donald Trump's tariffs. The rest of the show focused on ...
Sizing up Wahls vs. Turek after Democratic primary shake-up
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks dove into the shake-up in the Democratic race for U.S. Senate after Nathan Sage ended his campaign and endorsed Josh Turek. They discusse...
Notable 2026 endorsements and legislative happenings
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news from the 2026 campaign trail: big endorsements for Chris McGowan in the fourth Congressional district, Matt Windschitl dr...
Trump in Iowa, GOP gubernatorial debate, 4Q fundraising
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news about the partial government shutdown and the status of federal budget negotiations. They covered Donald Trump's latest I...
Three campaigns end, one begins, and lots of legislative news
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa political reaction to another tragedy in Minneapolis. Next, they covered breaking news from the 2026 campaign trail, as t...
Governor's speech, other officials' wish lists, two Dems running for Ag Sec
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks each shared a favorite quote from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., then got right to it, discussing key points from Governor Kim Reynold...
Below-the-radar news from Congress; Iowa legislature's opening day
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news from Congress: Zach Nunn votes to extend health insurance subsidies, Mariannette Miller-Meeks votes to override Trump's v...
Senate race TV ad, special election takeaways, Iowa legislative preview
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Iowa political reaction to the U.S. attack in Venezuela and whether this could become a 2026 campaign issue. On the campaign f...
Looking back on Iowa politics in 2025
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with some news from the Republican primary campaign for governor and a quick preview of the December 30 special election in Iowa Se...
Congress wraps for 2025, governor flips on summer food aid
Laura Belin and Dennis Hart cover the week in Iowa politics, starting with the latest news about the Iowa National Guard members recently killed or wounded in Syria. T...
Divisions among Iowans in Congress, legislative campaign news
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with the tragedy in Syria, where two Iowa National Guard members were killed and three wounded in an ambush over the weekend. As th...
IA-02 in play, Miller-Meeks ads, Iowa Supreme Court win for Sand
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks covered a wide range of stories, starting with what last week's special U.S. House election in Tennessee could mean for Iowa's second Con...
Another Feenstra no-show, pro-Sand TV ad, special election previews
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks review a (surprisingly not slow) week in Iowa politics. They discussed a forum featuring every GOP candidate for governor except the fron...
News from Congress and lots of 2026 campaign maneuvers
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news from Iowa's delegation in Congress: the Epstein files votes, Zach Nunn on health care reform, Mariannette Miller-Meeks on...
Iowa angles on funding bill, new candidates, poll shows Nunn in trouble
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with the end of the federal government shutdown: when SNAP benefits resumed in Iowa, whether the Iowans in Congress have been paid ...
Dems against Schumer, local election takeaways, Lahn for governor
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news related to the imminent end of the federal government shutdown and resumption of SNAP benefit payments. Two Democratic ca...
SNAP and shutdown news, Feenstra for governor, pro-Bird ad and more
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news related to the federal government shutdown: federal food assistance (SNAP benefits) delayed, responses from Governor Kim ...
News on the Iowa governor's race, and more
Laura Belin and original co-host Dennis Hart were together for the 250th edition of "KHOI's Capitol Week." They began with Iowa's 2026 governor's race: Democrat Rob Sa...
Norris out, 3Q fundraising, No Kings, state revenues falling
Laura Belin and Dennis Hart (filling in for Spencer Dirks) began with the end of Jackie Norris' campaign for U.S. Senate, and a review of third-quarter fundraising for...
E-Verify, 2026 polls, a Libertarian for Senate, Grassley on "Arctic Frost," RIP Claire Celsi
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with more fallout from ICE detaining the superintendent of Iowa's largest school district: Governor Kim Reynolds ordered the use of...
More Ian Roberts news, state revenue shortfall, access to COVID boosters
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks spent the first half of the show on news related to former Des Moines Public Schools superintendent Ian Roberts: his resignation, deficie...
Fallout from ICE detention of Des Moines superintendent
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...
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...