Iowa
How Iowa politicians are reacting to Biden and Trump’s first presidential debate
Biden and Trump clash in historic presidential debate
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump clashed in a historic presidential debate. Here are five takeaways.
Iowa Republicans took advantage of President Joe Biden’s stage presence during Thursday’s debate to repeat their argument that he is not mentally fit to hold office.
Leading up to the debate Republicans, including U.S. Rep Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa’s 1st District, were claiming that Biden would be on “drugs” to compensate for his “cognitive decline.”
However, Biden had moments where he was hard to hear and difficult to follow, allowing Republicans to return to a common allegation heard throughout both elections: Biden isn’t fit to lead the country.
More: Biden struggles in first joust with Trump: 5 takeaways from the presidential debate
Here are the responses from Iowa public officials following the first presidential debate.
Sen. Joni Ernst says President Joe Biden is ‘feeble-minded’
Joni Ernst, Iowa’s junior U.S. senator, double-downed on former President Donald Trump’s accusations that the country is in shambles under the current administration, and Trump is the only one who can turn things around.
“Americans saw the contrast on stage plain as day: a feeble-minded and weak-kneed man who let our country and the world fall apart, and Donald J. Trump, who will restore strength and leadership to the White House,” Ernst said on social media.
Joe Biden, Donald Trump respond to age concerns, capability in debate
Joe Biden, Donald Trump address capability and age concerns that voters have during the first 2024 presidential debate on June 27, 2024, in Atlanta.
CNN
Ernst also attacked Biden regarding his handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Biden saw his lowest approval rating — 43%, according to an NPR/PBS poll in 2021 — after 13 servicemembers were killed leaving Afghanistan.
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks highlights Donald Trump’s attacks against Joe Biden
Leading up to the debate, Miller-Meeks was on Fox News claiming that Biden could be on “stimulants” during the debate. She didn’t post about those allegations during the debate, however, she did affirm Trump’s attacks against Biden during the debate.
She called Tump’s criticism that no one in Biden’s administration was fired after the withdrawal from Afghanistan “spot on” and repeated a Trump criticism about not knowing what Biden said.
Rep. Ashley Hinson: Donald ‘Trump dominated’ first presidential debate
U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa’s 2nd District released a statement that said regardless of politics Biden isn’t fit to be Commander-in-Chief and “was extremely concerning and hard to watch.”
“President Trump dominated tonight’s debate – he will secure our border, cut taxes for working families and restore American leadership on the world stage after four years of Biden’s failures,” Hinson said in her statement.
Rep. Randy Feenstra: Donald ‘Trump won’ the first presidential debate
U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra of Iowa’s 4th District said on social media that Trump will defend the border.
“President Trump won the debate going away,” Feenstra wrote in a post calling for Iowans to elect Trump in November. “President Trump will secure the border and stop inflation. Biden’s presidency, and his debate performance, are both massive failures.”
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds: Donald Trump is the best choice
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who endorsed Trump’s opponent Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during the Iowa Caucuses, made multiple posts on social media supporting Trump’s job as president during the debate.
“Under President Trump, we had a successful economy – jobs, higher wages and opportunity,” Reynolds said on X. “Under Biden? Inflation.”
Iowa GOP chairman: ‘Donald Trump was the winner’ of CNN Debate
Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said in a statement after the debate that Trump would clean up the mess that Biden made while in office.
“After tonight, it’s clear that President Donald Trump was the winner of the debate,” Kaufmann said in the statement. “Biden has once again shown the world that he is unfit to serve, a danger to our country, and an embarrassment on that stage.”
Kaufmann also attacked Iowa Democrats for celebrating Biden’s performance.
Iowa Democrats: Donald Trump will take country backward
The Iowa Democratic Party criticized Donald Trump and the “extreme agenda” of “MAGA Republicans” in a statement on social media.
Biden would create “a future that works for all of us,” the post said while highlighting headlines about union strikes, lower health care costs and climate change.
Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.
With Audi Crooks injured, Addy Brown takes control of game
Iowa State’s Addy Brown has a big game against Northern Iowa with star Audi Crooks injured.
AMES – When the Iowa State women’s basketball team came out for warmups prior to the Dec. 14 game against Northern Iowa, Cyclones junior Addy Brown peeked over at the Panthers.
Brown, who knew Iowa State star Audi Crooks wouldn’t be playing, wanted to see how her in-state rivals would react to the Cyclones’ star center not being available.
“I just saw a lot of smiles,” Brown said.
“I really think they had some hope and they were excited. And I was like, ‘Ah, no, you’re not going to be too excited for long.’ That made me mad. That gave me more motivation. I don’t forget things very easy.”
Brown took things into her own hands. She scored a game-high 28 points as the 10th-ranked Cyclones beat Northern Iowa 81-53 at Hilton Coliseum on Sunday. Brown added 12 rebounds and three assists while connecting on 10-for-20 shots from the field including 4-for-7 from 3-point range while successfully filling the void left by Crooks.
“I think we gave them hope and I was going to make sure we took that hope away,” Brown said with a smile.
There was certainly reason for optimism for the Panthers. It was just a year ago that Northern Iowa took down a ranked Iowa State squad that had Crooks in its lineup in Cedar Falls. Crooks, who entered the weekend leading the nation in scoring at 27.8 points per game, wasn’t available this time around.
The Cyclones post player was out with a head injury she sustained during Iowa State’s win over Iowa earlier in the week. Crooks is in return-to-play protocol. Iowa State was also without Evangelia Paulk, a key contributor off the bench who was dealing with a mild soft tissue injury. Guard Reese Beaty is also out with a foot injury.
So the Cyclones decided to lean on Brown, one of the most versatile players in the nation, in their final in-state game and final non-conference game of the season. Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly made it clear to her before the game that she was going to have to step up in a big way.
“I told her, ‘You need to show people what I already know about you’ and ironically I told her before the game, ‘If you don’t take 20 shots, the whole team is running,’” Fennelly said.
Brown took the challenge on. She scored all eight points during an 8-0 run in the first quarter that gave the Cyclones a 14-10 lead. Brown also had five points during an 11-0 run to close out the second quarter. She capped it off by draining a 3-pointer right before the buzzer, throwing her hands in the air as the team went to the locker room.
“I was a little tired,” Brown said. “I needed a break.”
Brown nearly had a double-double by halftime, finishing the first two quarters with 21 points and eight rebounds as Iowa State led 48-26.
The Cyclones outscored Northern Iowa 19-12 in the third quarter. Brown barely needed to play in the fourth quarter, checking out with 7:32 left and Iowa State up 71-38. She needed just 28 minutes and 36 seconds of playing time to do all of her damage.
While Iowa State needed contributions from Crooks’ backups at the center spot, it was Brown who needed to take on an even bigger role Sunday.
“We had to capitalize today and it was going to be a tough one with three of our players out, but we stepped up in big ways,” Brown said. “I think it was exciting.”
What’s next for Audi Crooks
Fennelly said that he was “hopeful” that Crooks would be back when the Cyclones open Big 12 Conference play on Dec. 21 against Kansas. Crooks has been dominant this season, shooting better than 72% from the floor while pulling down 6.1 rebounds per game.
Fennelly said Crooks got hit in the head during Iowa State’s win over Iowa.
“You can’t take any chances with anyone,” Fennelly said following Sunday’s game. “She’s still mad at me because we didn’t play her, but we’re not doing that. I don’t care who we’re playing or where we’re playing.”
Fennelly said the team needs to see improvement from Crooks before she’s ready to return.
“We’ll probably know by the end of the week,” he said. “But hopefully that she’ll be back.”
Bill Fennelly provides updates on Evangelia Paulk and Audi Crooks
Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly gives injury updates on Evangelia Paulk and Audi Crooks
Fennelly gives injury update on Paulk
Iowa State was also without Paulk, an important contributor off the bench. The transfer played in Iowa State’s first 11 games this season, averaging 1.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.9 steals in 11.6 minutes per game. Fennelly said Paulk was dealing with a neck injury after possibly sleeping on it wrong.
“She can’t move her neck,” Fennelly said. “So my guess is she’ll be OK.”
Alisa Williams and Lilly Taulelei fill the center spot for Crooks
With Crooks unavailable to play, the Cyclones leaned on Alisa Williams and Taulelei. Both gave Iowa State important minutes. Williams started in Crooks’ place and scored 11 points on 5-for-5 shooting. She also grabbed five rebounds and handed out three assists. Taulelei added eight points and two rebounds off the bench.
Williams said she was excited for the opportunity.
“Just knowing I needed to be myself — I don’t have to be anybody else,” Williams said.
Tanya Warren raves about Iowa State
Iowa State was in the midst of a strong season a year ago, having won its first four games before playing at Northern Iowa. The Cyclones, then ranked eighth in the Associated Press poll, suffered a brutal 87-75 loss to the Panthers.
Iowa State went on to win 23 games but had to play in the “First Four” round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cyclones were expected to compete for a Big 12 title and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament but neither of those things happened.
Northern Iowa coach Tanya Warren said the Cyclones are much improved from a season ago thanks to Brown and Crooks and the addition of point guard Jada Williams, who scored 10 points and handed out eight assists in Sunday’s win.
“They’re efficient,” Warren said. “They’re on a mission. You can tell they’re driven and they’re playing with a purpose.”
Iowa State gets ready for Big 12 play
The Cyclones finished off non-conference play with a 12-0 record. While the schedule wasn’t overly demanding, Iowa State does have some nice wins. The Cyclones handed Indiana its first loss during the Coconut Hoops event in Florida. Iowa State also beat in-state rivals Drake, Iowa and Northern Iowa to win its first unofficial state title since 2021.
“We take great pride, great pride in winning all of our in-state games,” Fennelly said. “Some people think it’s not a big deal. We think it’s a huge deal and we take that seriously.”
The victories could be nice resume-builders for Iowa State on Selection Sunday if the Cyclones need an at-large bid. But the true success of the season will be judged on Big 12 play. The Cyclones, who were picked to finish second in the league, begin with Kansas on Dec. 21 at Hilton Coliseum.
“We’re ready,” Fennelly said. “It’s time.”
Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.
Not long after Matt Campbell settled in as Iowa State’s football coach, the victories began to accumulate.
Campbell’s 2016 ISU team, his first one, won three games.
His next four teams won a total of 32, including the Cyclones’ 9-3 finish in 2020.
Prior to Campbell’s arrival at Iowa State, winning in Ames was difficult.
It was hard not to notice.
Campbell, who became Penn State’s coach after a 10-year run at Iowa State, said recently he almost left Ames twice before finally saying yes to Pat Kraft and the Nittany Lions.
Almost.
“I would say there were probably two really close opportunities that I probably kind of accepted,” Campbell said last Monday.
“And then I said, ‘You know what, I can’t do it’. I slept on it, and I walked away from it, during our 10 years (at Iowa State).”
“In fairness to those organizations, I’m not going to talk about it.”
1/27
New Penn State coach Matt Campbell is introduced
Campbell wasn’t sure then.
But he said it was different when Penn State approached him about becoming the permanent replacement for James Franklin.
Two major reasons why are Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi and Kraft, the Lions’ athletic director.
“From Neeli’s standpoint, she’s a wow, and the wow factor of character, integrity, what she was looking for,” Campbell said.
“After getting off that phone call, I was like, this is the type of people you want to associate with.”
“I would say from Pat’s standpoint, (he is) this uber-competitive, want to be a partner, want to be an asset to you in this changing world of college football,” Campbell continued.
“Like, you can’t do it by yourself anymore. You have to be aligned. … Those two things, they were unwavering for me, and they were things that said, you know what, this is really special.”
A huge factor for Campbell was his family – wife Erica, daughters Katie and Izzy and sons Rudy and Rocco.
“Now, the regionality of bringing my family back home,” said Campbell, who is from Massillon, Ohio.
“I mean, being 12 hours away and for my kids to never see their grandparents and never see their cousins, and to have my father and my mother and Erica’s family be able to come and be a part of this experience with us again.
“I can’t lie and tell you that didn’t have a big impact. I think it certainly did, as well.”
Campbell also knew he reached his ceiling at Iowa State, going 72-55 in 10 seasons. The highlight of his run was the Cyclones’ 11-3 finish in 2024.
“Knowing what we’ve done (at ISU), I mean, the last three years at Iowa State have been the greatest three-year run in the history of the school,” Campbell said.
“I don’t know what else we could have done there, and I’m really proud of what we did there.”
Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa State Patrol said it responded to 206 calls for service after another weekend winter storm Saturday.
From 5:30 am to 5:30 pm, ISP said it covered 88 crashes, with 74 resulting in property damage.
Officials said one person died and 13 others were injured.
The patrol had 118 motorist assists.
Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.
California unemployment rises in September as forecast predicts slow jobs growth
Scarlett Johansson and June Squibb bonded on ‘Eleanor the Great.’ Well, except that one scene
Rob Reiner and Wife Michele Had Throats Slit By Family Member
Rob Reiner used his fame to advocate for progressive causes. ‘Just a really special man. A terrible day’
Commentary: No jinx, only reality. Rams are going to win a Super Bowl championship
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
South Korea indicts ex-leader Yoon over power plot provoking North
BBC Verify: Videos show impact of mass drone attacks launched by Ukraine and Russia
Bill and Hillary Clinton’s Stance on Epstein Testimony Nov. 3
Small Business Administration unveils new initiative to roll back federal regulations
Analysis: Trump’s policies set to widen EU-US innovation gap
-
Alaska1 week agoHowling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
-
Texas1 week agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Washington6 days agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa1 week agoMatt Campbell reportedly bringing longtime Iowa State staffer to Penn State as 1st hire
-
Miami, FL1 week agoUrban Meyer, Brady Quinn get in heated exchange during Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami CFP discussion
-
Iowa2 days agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
-
Cleveland, OH1 week agoMan shot, killed at downtown Cleveland nightclub: EMS
-
World1 week ago
Chiefs’ offensive line woes deepen as Wanya Morris exits with knee injury against Texans
