Spencer Dirks
Spencer Dirks is a lifelong Iowan and has been the program director at KNIA/KRLS Radio in Knoxville for 15+ years. He also co-hosts a podcast called Iowa Revolution with Dr. Robert Leonard.
Appears in 47 Episodes
Fallout from a Kim Reynolds bombshell, Dems target IA-02
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the biggest Iowa political news stories, starting with fallout from Governor Kim Reynolds' announcement that she won't seek a third...
Tariffs, trial balloons, and the Iowa legislature's second funnel week
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discussed Iowa reaction to President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs and their likely impact on the state's agriculture sector. The U.S. ...
School book ban blocked, Iowa sheriff sued, Wahls vs. Ernst?
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the week's top Iowa politics stories, starting with U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Locher blocking enforcement of Iowa's schoo...
Reynolds, Bird cheer Trump policies; Lawmakers take on education and DEI
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks begin with Iowa angles on Trump administration news: Governor Kim Reynolds cheered the order dismantling the U.S. Department of Education...
Dems weigh Congressional campaigns, Walz in Iowa, news from the statehouse
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks review the week in Iowa politics, starting with the three Democrats taking a serious look at running for Congress in the third district, ...
Funnel week surprises, bills still moving, a ProPublica exclusive on Joni Ernst
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover an exceptionally busy week in the Iowa legislature ahead of the first "funnel" deadline. They discussed new bills that popped up la...
Digging deep on Iowa's new transgender discrimination law
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks focused this week on the wide-ranging new Iowa law targeting transgender and nonbinary people. They discussed the key provisions, includi...
All about the trans discrimination bill; Sand & Reynolds spar on auditing voucher funds
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the biggest news in Iowa politics, starting with an omnibus transgender discrimination bill that is on a fast track: what's in th...
Sherman declares for governor; Iowa challenges anti-discrimination law
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks start with 2026 election news: who is newly declared candidate Brad Sherman, and what are his chances in a Republican primary against Gov...
Iowa DOGE, a GOP challenger for Miller-Meeks, and lots of legislative action
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the week in Iowa politics, starting with Governor Kim Reynolds creating a new "Iowa DOGE" task force and testifying before the U....
A surprising special election, lots of legislative news, Ernst speaks for Gabbard
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover top stories from the week in Iowa politics, starting with Democrat Mike Zimmer's shocking victory in a state Senate district that j...
News about the 2026 governor's race, Iowa legislative happenings, and Steve King
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the the week in Iowa politics, starting with an appeals court ruling that kept a state immigration law blocked. They discussed Iowa...
Governor's wish list for state lawmakers, Ernst backs Hegseth, and more
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks share their favorite Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes and discuss lots of news from a busy week in Iowa politics, starting with Iowa an...
Kicking off the Iowa legislature's 2025 session
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the start of the Iowa legislature's 2025 session from many angles: what happened on the opening day, highlights from remarks by maj...
Dems stick with Hart, GOP rival says Ernst sucks, Trump ally off U Iowa advisory board
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the biggest Iowa politics stories of the week, starting with the first actions of the new Congress. Other topics covered: candidate...
Remembering Jimmy Carter, a new job for Vilsack, and Iowa politics takeaways from 2024
Laura Belin and Dennis Hart discuss President Jimmy Carter's legacy and how his 1976 campaign changed the Iowa caucuses. Other topics covered: former Governor Tom Vils...
Trump's Iowa Poll lawsuit; news from Congress; racial disparities and juvenile justice
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the top Iowa politics stories from the week, starting with Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and its longtim...
Meet Iowa Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer, farewell to Jim Leach
Iowa finally has a new lieutenant governor. Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks talk about Chris Cournoyer's background and work in the Iowa Senate, what was and wasn't surp...
Joni Ernst in the hot seat, GOP primary challenger announces
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the intense pressure campaign U.S. Senator Joni Ernst is facing from MAGA Republicans. Joshua Smith has announced plans to run ag...
More Iowa election takeaways, reaction to Trump nominations
Iowa's elections were certified on December 2, and Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the shift to Donald Trump, GOP gains in early voting, final results from the l...
Two recounts done, Ernst all in with DOGE, feds reject Iowa waivers
It's two recounts down and two to go in Iowa's very close 2024 elections. Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the state of play and how Republicans expanded their Io...
Iowa recounts, early Trump picks, and Democratic woes in mid-sized cities
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss the four Iowa elections that are headed for recounts, how Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst will approach Donald Trump's con...
The real story on Iowa's 2024 elections
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks explore many aspects of the latest red wave in Iowa, starting with Donald Trump's biggest win yet and the warning signs for Democrats. Al...
Recap of another red wave election in Iowa
Six of the last eight general elections have been Republican landslides in Iowa. Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks recap the November 5 results: how Donald Trump improved ...
Iowa election night special
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks were on the air live from 10:00 pm to 10:30 pm Central to talk about the Iowa results so far. They will record another live show at noon ...
A shocking Selzer poll; final preview of Iowa's elections
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss Ann Selzer's final Iowa Poll for the Des Moines Register, which shocked the political world. Other topics covered: a federal cour...
Last-minute Iowa voter challenges, an IA-01 debate, and more
Laura Belin and Dr. Bob Leonard discuss the Iowa Secretary of State's last-minute directive telling county auditors to challenge ballots from "self-reported" non-citiz...
Perry school shooting findings, Iowa campaign news roundup
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discuss findings from the investigation into the deadly mass shooting at Perry High School in January. Other topics covered: early voting...
Early voting, toss-up House races, and an Iowa angle on Indigenous Peoples' Day
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks cover the options and requirements for voting before election day, and how both major parties are pushing early GOTV. Other topics covere...
Ratings, ads, and messages in Iowa's four U.S. House races
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks dive into the state of play in Iowa's four U.S. House races: two toss-ups (the first and third Congressional districts), and two consider...