Is civil discourse possible?

Jefferson County in southeast Iowa is home to Fairfield, a cultural blend of old school Iowan farmers, international students and free thinkers attracted by the lure of Maharishi University of Management, a hub for education and Transcendental Meditation in Iowa. During the 2016 election, Republican Donald Trump received 46.7 percent of Jefferson County's votes for U.S. president, while Democrat Hillary Clinton had 46.2 percent, almost a tie.

Democratic governors set to take on the bigger names in 2020 race

Three governors -- Montana's Steve Bullock, Colorado's John Hickenlooper and Washington state's Jay Inslee -- each said in interviews at the National Governors Association summer meeting in New Mexico this week that they are considering 2020 runs. All three have already visited Iowa, the first state to vote during the caucus and primary season, once this year.

Record absentee votes point to hefty turnout in Iowa primary

Wealthy Des Moines businessman Fred Hubbell easily won the five-way Iowa Democratic primary race Tuesday to run against Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who advanced to the fall campaign uncontested in her primary. Hubbell, who provided millions of dollars of his own money to fund a high profile campaign, significantly outperformed competitors including a union local president, a physician, a former party chairman and a mayor.

Democratic hope primary heralds return to relevance in Iowa

After nearly a decade of disappointing elections, Iowa Democrats hope the primary will begin what they acknowledge could be a slow return to relevance in what has historically been swing state dominated lately by Republicans. Democratic losses in four straight elections have handed the GOP most of the state's congressional delegation, both legislative chambers and the secretary of state's office.

Voting opens in primary that sees challenges in key races

Voting is open now in the county auditor's office, and ballots are available to be mailed out as well, for the primary in June, to determine who will be on the general election ballots in November. -Messenger photo by Joe Sutter Webster County Supervisors Merrill Leffler, left, and Keith Dencklau vote in the primary on Monday morning.

Pelosi says Democrats have cash and environment to win House

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Sunday that House Democrats have the fundraising, the issues and the political atmosphere on their side to win back the majority in November. These factors, and an activated party base that's helped Democrats win in special elections across the country this year are the "small droplets of water" that create a wave, Pelosi said headlining a county Democratic Party banquet in Des Moines.

President Trump says of Comey: ‘He’s either very sick or very dumb’

President Donald Trump insists he "won't be involved" in any attempt to interfere with the investigation into Russian election meddling - unless he changes his mind. Trump also is renewing his attacks on James Comey, the FBI director he fired last year, accusing him of lying about Trump's trip to Moscow in 2013 that has received fresh scrutiny.

Trump pledges hands off Russia probe, may – change my mind’

From left, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the ranking member, confer before considering a bipartisan bill to protect the special counsel from being fired, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, April 26, 2018. They voted 14 to 7 to send the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act to the full Senate, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has insisted he will not hold a full Senate vote on the legislation which would seek expedited judicial review of a firing.

Senate panel advances legislation to protect Robert Mueller from firing

This file photo taken on June 19, 2013 shows then Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Mueller testifying before the US Senate Judiciary Committee on oversight during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Special counsels like the one named to oversee the probe into Russia's alleged election interference are rare super sleuths with more power and independence than regular US investigators.

APNewsBreak: Candidate refunds illegal EMILY’s List donation

A Democratic candidate for Iowa Secretary of State said Tuesday she would refund a major contribution from a national political group after learning it was mistakenly given and accepted in violation of Iowa law. Deidre DeJear's campaign said it would send back the $5,000 contribution to EMILY's List "as soon as possible" after learning of the violation from The Associated Press hours earlier.