Iowa
DeSantis’ State of the State address might be as much for Iowa voters as it is for Floridians
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ State of the State address on Tuesday is supposed to be about Florida’s future. Iowa, though, is more likely at the front of his mind.
The speech kicking off Florida’s annual legislative session comes exactly a week before Iowa’s first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses, and DeSantis has been spending much more time in the Hawkeye State than the Sunshine State in recent weeks.
So it won’t be a surprise if his sixth State of the State is as much a message to Iowa voters as it is a forecast of his continued vision for Florida.
“He will definitely say the state of the state is strong. He has to at least check that box, but I suspect he’s going to use his State of the State address as his last-ditch effort to pitch to national donors and to voters in Iowa,” House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell said. “He’d rather be on the ground in Iowa than he would be in Florida.”
It was hardly a secret DeSantis was planning a presidential run when he made last year’s address, and it was clear his message was for the rest of the country, touting his conservative achievements and laying the groundwork to run on what he calls the “Florida blueprint.”
But whether it’s the blueprint, his difficulty connecting with voters or simply former President Donald Trump’s unshakable base, DeSantis’ support in Iowa has dropped by nearly half since he announced his candidacy last year.
Unlike past years, when DeSantis would spend months forecasting his priorities ahead of the session, this year he has largely been silent as he woos Iowa and New Hampshire voters. Many of his staff who helped him prepare for the 2023 State of the State address are now in Iowa.
“A lot of his team is now on the campaign trail, so you’re managing with a skeleton crew,” former Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes said. “He’s not going to want a huge amount of fights here to distract from the national picture. Nothing I’ve seen coming out of the Legislature is earth shattering or groundbreaking this year.”
Although DeSantis will head straight back to Iowa after the session opens, he will still have a powerful grip on lawmakers. DeSantis has a reputation for the vengeful use of his budget line-item veto power and the Republican-dominated Legislature has shown a willingness to do what he wants.
“The governor has these people pretty much trained,” Brandes said. “Many of these House and Senate members are calling the governor’s office preclearing their legislation at a volume that historically you have not seen, at least in the Senate.”
DeSantis’ speech will be delivered in the state House chambers after lawmakers hold ceremonies opening the session. It likely will highlight his success over the last few years and remind conservatives of his efforts to restrict abortion, ban instruction on LGBTQ+ topics in schools, keep immigrants living in the country illegally out of Florida, expand gun rights and push back against federal government advice on COVID-19 restrictions and treatments.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Iowa
Elections live updates: Key races to watch in California, Iowa, Montana and New Jersey primaries
Live Coverage
In California, competition is fierce for the gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral nominations. Iowa, Montana and New Jersey have open U.S. Senate seats. In New Jersey, a silent congressman could lose his House seat.
Iowa
Iowa joins wave of states forcing porn sites to verify users’ ages
Beginning July 1, Iowans must verify they are adults to access porn websites.
How online porn is shaping a generation of young men
Early porn exposure among boys is rising. And experts say it leads to lasting struggles with addiction, mental health and relationships.
Iowa will require porn websites to verify users are at least 18 under a new law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
The Hawkeye State joins at least 25 other states, including Kansas and Nebraska, in requiring age verification for adult content in an effort to prevent minors from accessing it.
House File 864 is modeled after a Texas age verification law the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in a 6-3 decision in June. The measure will apply to websites or apps if at least one-third of their content is pornographic.
Beginning July 1, the law will require the websites to verify a user’s age using government-issued identification, financial documents or other documents that are “reliable proxies for age.” Age verification may also be performed by third parties or through any “commercially reasonable and reliable method.”
The law states websites and third parties “shall not retain, sell, lease or otherwise disseminate any identifying information of an individual subject to reasonable age verification unless retention or dissemination of the identifying information is required by law or a court order.”
It also requires third parties and websites to use “reasonable methods given the person’s scope of business to secure all data collected and transmitted” during the age verification process.
Under the new law, Iowa’s attorney general can sue companies in violation of the law. Violators could face fines up to $1,000 for each time an individual accesses a site in violation of the law. Civil penalties for providers are capped at $10,000 per day.
Iowa Senate lawmakers unanimously approved the measure while the House advanced it 82-2.
Rapid Response Politics Reporter Maya Marchel Hoff can be reached at mmarchelHoff@usatodayco.com. You can find her on X (formerly Twitter) at @mmarchelhoff.
Iowa
Iowa Democratic Senate primary: Wahls, Turek make final push before election
DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) — Iowa’s primary election is Tuesday, and candidates across the state are making their final push to voters.
One of the most closely watched contests is the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. The winner will advance to November’s general election to compete for Senator Joni Ernst’s seat.
Iowa State Senator Zach Wahls and State Representative Josh Turek are competing for the Democratic nomination.
Wahls spent Monday in Des Moines speaking with voters about the issues they want addressed in Washington.
“It’s time for change. We’ve been talking about it from day one. Iowans have been failed by leaders in both parties for far too long,” Wahls said. “In order to get the change that we need, we need a leader and a fighter who’s willing to challenge the broken status quo and clean up the corruption in Washington DC.”
Turek toured the state during the final days of the race. He was in Sioux City Friday and said he will represent working class Iowans if elected.
“I come from a working class family, a working class community, somebody that’s gone through a lot of hardships, a lot of struggle, both on the economic and on the health care side,” Turek said. “I think what’s fundamentally wrong with DC right now is we’ve got enough millionaires up there. I’m the only one in this race that’s not a millionaire.”
For the first time in more than a decade, Iowa will have an open U.S. Senate seat.
While campaigning, candidates have heard concerns ranging from affordability and housing costs to agriculture and water quality.
Polls open Tuesday morning across Iowa.
—
Isabella Warren covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email her at isabella.warren@kcrg.com; and follow her on Facebook at Isabella Warren TV on X/Twitter@isabellaw_gray, and on Instagram@IsabellaWarrenTV.
Copyright 2026 Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau. All rights reserved.
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