This week, we’ll talk about primary election debates in Iowa’s open-seat elections for governor and the U.S. Senate, and of course we’ll revisit the marathon shutdown of the 2026 legislative session.

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day’s deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affecting Iowa.

This episode was hosted by Jared McNett of the Sioux City Journal. It features Gazette Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy, Gazette Deputy Bureau Chief Tom Barton, Sarah Watson of the Quad City Times and Gazette columnist Althea Cole.

Read the articles mentioned in this episode:

(1:53) Dispatches from Des Moines: A bittersweet reflection and farewell

(2:00) Marathon, 2-day session finishes Iowa lawmakers’ 2026 work

(11:50) What’s in Iowa’s property tax legislation?

(16:15) Abortion policy distinctions drawn in Iowa GOP gubernatorial primary debate

(25:46) Zach Wahls, Josh Turek clash on immigration, outside spending