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.
Iowa wrestling’s Tom Brands discusses Big Ten Championships results
VIDEO: Iowa wrestling’s Tom Brands talks Big Ten Championships results
Iowa Athletics
The 330 wrestlers competing in Cleveland at the NCAA Championships are now set.
After the conference tournaments established the lion’s share of wrestlers, the NCAA announced the at-large bids on Tuesday, March 10, completing the rest of the field.
Brackets and seeds will be announced on March 10, but here’s a look at the contingents each state of Iowa program will be sending after the at-large bids were announced.
Iowa wrestling NCAA qualifiers
For the third year in a row, Iowa wrestling will be sending nine to the NCAA Championships. Victor Voinovich did not earn an at-large bid at 157 pounds after finishing ninth at the Big Ten Championships, one place outside of NCAA automatic qualification. He concludes his season with a 12-6 record.
Voinovich narrowly earned the starting job over Jordan Williams at 157, with Iowa coach Tom Brands saying it was very close, but Voinovich had shown a little more “fight” this year. Now that Voinovich hasn’t qualified for NCAAs, it’s a decision that will go further under the microscope.
What’s done is done, however, for Iowa. They’ll take Dean Peterson (125), Drake Ayala (133), Nasir Bailey (141), Ryder Block (149), Michael Caliendo (165), Patrick Kennedy (174), Angelo Ferrari (184), Gabe Arnold (197) and Ben Kueter (285) to Cleveland in hopes of salvaging what has been a tough season.
Iowa State wrestling NCAA qualifiers
For the first time since 2010, Iowa State will send all 10 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Vinny Zerban earned an at-large bid at 157 pounds despite falling short of the automatic qualifying threshold at the Big 12 Championships. Zerban suffered a concussion and medically forfeited out of the tournament after his first match in Tulsa. His health status will be worth monitoring NCAAs inch closer, from March 19-22.
The Cyclones look poised for one of their best postseasons in recent memory with their 10 qualifiers ―Stevo Poulin (125), Garrett Grice (133), Anthony Echemendia (141), Jacob Frost (149), Zerban, Connor Euton (165), MJ Gaitan (174), Isaac Dean (184), Rocky Elam (197) and Yonger Bastida (285). The loss of Evan Frost hurts the Cyclones, considering his pedigree and season as a whole, but Grice’s has earned several ranked wins since entering the lineup in February and could still add some much-needed team points as the team chases a team trophy.
Behind title contenders Elam and Bastida, proven podium threats in Poulin, Echemnedia, Jacob Frost and Zerban (if healthy), Iowa State will be in the mix for a top-four finish in Cleveland.
UNI wrestling NCAA qualifiers
Northern Iowa will send five to the NCAA Championships. Automatic qualifiers Julian Farber (133), Caleb Rathjen (149) and Ryder Downey (165) will be joined by Jared Simma (174) and Nick Fox (184), who each earned at-large bids. The number of qualifiers could extend to six, with Trever Anderson (125) being the alternate at 125 pounds for NCAAs. However, he had to medically forfeit out of the Big 12 Championships, so his health status would be in question if he got called up.
With that, Max Brady (141), Cael Rahnavardi (157), John Gunderson (197) and Adam Ahrendsen (285) will have their seasons come to an end. Brady, a true freshman, will still have three NCAA chances in his career after showing promising moments in relief of Cory Land’s season-ending injury. Gunderson, a U23 World team member, will return for next season as well. Rahnavardi and Ahrendsen were both in their final seasons of eligibility.
Following injuries to Land and Wyatt Voelker, it’s been a hard year for the Panthers. This is half the number of NCAA qualifiers that UNI had last season when they qualified 10 for the first time since 1986. The last time UNI had five or fewer qualifiers was 2016.
However, all five of their wrestlers have each shown moments of brilliance, either this season or in prior NCAA Championships. They may be a smaller crew than normal, but Downey, Rathjen, Farber, Simma and Fox are all ones to watch in Cleveland.
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
ISU’s Kevin Dresser on gambling probe: ‘I knew this thing was a mess’
Iowa State’s Kevin Dresser on the gambling probe: “I hope all these athletes at Iowa and Iowa State take the state of Iowa to the cleaners.”
A longtime investigator for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says he was forced out of the agency because he voiced reservations about a high-profile investigation into gambling in college athletics.
Mark Ludwick was hired by Iowa’s top investigative agency in 1997 and was terminated in November 2024, according to a lawsuit filed Feb. 20 in Polk County. According to his complaint, Ludwick was fired after two “frivolous” investigations, one claiming he’d exceeded the speed limit driving to a murder scene, and the other for assistance he provided to a domestic abuse victim.
The real reason, Ludwick alleges, is that officials were embarrassed after Ludwick testified under oath about what he regarded as weaknesses in their sports wagering investigation, which resulted in dozens of Iowa State University and University of Iowa student-athletes facing suspensions, 25 being criminally charged and 19 pleading guilty to underage gambling.
Ludwick testified in early 2024 he believed investigators had conducted illegal searches to identify the online gamblers and that he and other agents had been directed to lie to students about whether they were subjects of the investigation. He also alleged that stress about the case contributed to another agent’s fatal heart attack, although the agent’s relatives disputed the connection.
Now Ludwick is accusing the state of violating Iowa’s whistleblower protection statute. He declined through his attorney to comment. The Iowa Attorney General’s Office also declined to comment, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety, which includes the DCI, did not respond to an inquiry about the case.
Gambling investigation raised constitutional concerns
In the gambling investigation, DCI investigators used software tools provided by GeoComply, a Canadian company that contracts with online sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings, to look for evidence of illegal gambling activity. Using a GeoComply system, the investigators created a so-called “geofence” around college athletic facilities that allowed them to detect student athletes using wagering accounts registered to parents and friends to place bets ― sometimes on their own games.
Although the investigation resulted in numerous arrests and suspensions, it also drew controversy, in particular for agents’ failure to obtain warrants before conducting their location searches. GeoComply, which had encouraged Iowa to use its service, responded by cancelling the state’s access.
A large group of current and former students sued the state, accusing investigators of violating their constitutional rights. In November 2025, a federal judge ruled that the state’s investigation “does not comport with the Fourth Amendment,” which provides protection from illegal searches.
Nonetheless, the court dismissed the lawsuit, finding the officers involved were entitled to immunity. An appeal is pending.
Ludwick’s reservations emerge in depositions
Ludwick was an experienced investigator for the DCI, working on high-profile cases including the 2015 murder of Shirley Carter, whose son was tried and acquitted, and the 2017 deaths of two girls in a fire started by a relative.
While not the lead agent on the 2023 gambling investigation, Ludwick was tapped to assist by interviewing some of the student athletes. He later testified he grew concerned that the state’s geofence searches amounted to illegal, warrantless searches, and declined to participate in the case any further. He alleges that other DCI agents shared his concerns and also maneuvered to avoid being involved in the case.
Ludwick says he reported his concerns to his superiors. In January 2024, he was deposed by defense attorneys for four of the students, and “testified truthfully during his deposition that he believed an illegal search had been conducted.” Defense attorneys cited Ludwick’s remarks within days in filings covered by numerous media outlets, including the Des Moines Register, which “caused embarrassment and increased scrutiny for the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Commissioner Bayens, and other employees,” Ludwick’s suit states.
According to the complaint, officials launched an investigation into Ludwick for speeding on March 5, weeks after the embarrassing testimony was reported. On Aug. 8, officials initiated a second investigation after, Ludwick says, “he attempted to help a victim of domestic abuse flee her abuser.” He denies his actions violated Iowa law or department policy.
William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.
Iowa
Official Site of The ECHL | ECHL announces Voluntary Suspension of Iowa Membership for 2026-27 Season
The ECHL announced today that the League’s Board of Governors has approved the request of the Iowa Heartlanders’ Membership for a Voluntary Suspension for the 2026-27 Season.
During the suspension period, the organization will evaluate strategic alternatives aimed at ensuring a sustainable long-term future for professional hockey in the Corridor, including potential investment or ownership partnerships that support the continued success of the Membership.
The ECHL will continue to work with the Heartlanders’ ownership group during the suspension period as the organization evaluates its future. The League remains committed to the continued growth and stability of its member teams and markets.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision that followed months of careful evaluation,” said Heartlanders owner Michael Devlin. “Despite significant efforts to stabilize and strengthen the organization, we concluded that stepping back for a season is the most responsible course while we review long-term solutions. As stewards of the team, we believe this step gives the organization the best opportunity to return on a stronger and more sustainable footing.”
“We worked through every potential path that might have allowed us to continue uninterrupted,” Heartlanders President Matt Getz said. “Ultimately, we believe this pause provides the organization the best opportunity to position the Membership for long-term success.”
The Iowa organization expresses deep gratitude to the fans, partners, players, staff and the City of Coralville who have supported the Heartlanders since the team’s founding.
The ECHL will play with 30 Members during the 2026-27 season.
About the ECHL
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 30 teams in 23 states and one Canadian province for its 38th season in 2025-26. There have been 778 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 10 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2025-26 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 30 of the 32 NHL teams in 2025-26, marking the 28th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.
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