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 115 Episodes
2026 state and federal campaign news; DNC's Iowa snub
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with the latest governor's race news: policy ideas, wrangling over debates, Zach Lahn's change message, a new TV ad, and the first ...
GOP candidate pitches, Derek Wulf finances, 2Q fundraising
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with Republican speeches to the Family Leadership Summit: Ashley Hinson, Zach Lahn, Mike Johnson, and more. They discussed Laura's ...
Candidate pitches and news from Iowa courts
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with the big Iowa Democratic and Republican fundraisers that happened over the weekend, covering remarks by Pete Buttigieg and all ...
Conflicting polls, Iowa angles on SCOTUS rulings, new state laws
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with two independent polls that paint a different picture of Iowa's races for governor and U.S. Senate. They discussed Zach Lahn's ...
Lots of news from the campaign trail, Congress, and courts
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks review another busy week in Iowa politics, starting with the Libertarian candidates for governor and lieutenant governor challenging the ...
Senate poll, governor's race news, abortion in the 2026 campaigns
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news from Iowa's U.S. Senate race: a poll showing a small lead for Josh Turek, a conservative group already spending for Ashle...
Derek Wulf controversies, Libertarians challenged
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks spent about half of this show covering the governor's race, including several angles related to Republican nominee Zach Lahn choosing Der...
Governor's race, Senate poll, lawmakers defeated in primaries
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks covered many developments in the governor's race, including Rob Sand's lieutenant governor pick, first general election rally, and first ...
Analyzing the Iowa primary election results
Laura Belin and Mike Murphy walked through results from Iowa's June 2 primary elections, spending the most time on the governor's race, where there was a photo finish ...
Previewing Iowa's primary elections
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks spent this entire episode on Iowa's upcoming state and federal primary elections, taking place on June 2. They began with the latest deve...
Iowa state candidate fundraising, 2nd GOP debate
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began this Memorial Day episode by remembering four Iowans who died in military service in the Middle East over the past year. They spent...
Lots of news about Iowa's U.S. Senate race
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks spent about half of the show on news from the campaign for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat: the second (and last) televised debate between Z...
Wahls/Turek debate, new campaign ads and polls
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks spent most of this show on 2026 campaign news, starting with what Iowans need to cast early ballots for the June 2 primary and the first ...
Legislature wraps, property taxes, GOP debate, new polls
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with the marathon finish to the Iowa legislature's 2026 session: the all-nighter at the capitol, culminating in the final agreement...
New ads; lawmakers work on budget, taxes, nominees, cancer
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with ad buys and air time reservations in Iowa's U.S. House races, new ads for Republican candidates Adam Steen and Zach Lahn, Stev...
Governor's race news, 1Q fundraising, abortion bill returns
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news from the Republican primary for governor: Randy Feenstra's latest ad and internal poll; a recycled endorsement; Feenstra ...
New poll, candidates spar in governor & Senate races
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks spent most of the show on news from Iowa's 2026 campaigns: a poll shows Iowa as "competitive terrain," a forecaster calls the governor's ...
Battleground race updates, green light for school book ban
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with a big GOP investment in Iowa's U.S. Senate race, a look at other battleground races, worrying poll numbers for one Congression...
Iowa GOP drama, No Kings, 2026 campaign news
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks dug into last week's drama in the Republican primary for governor: Eddie Andrews surviving a challenge to his nominating papers and point...
2026 campaign news, health insurance tax, second funnel
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with candidates at risk of getting knocked off the primary ballot: Democrat Xavier Carrigan in IA-03, Republican candidate for gove...