Iowa Down Ballot podcast: RFK Jr. on tape, CARES spending redux, Roundup win

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Secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 24, 2025. (John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s effort to discourage Libertarian candidates from running in Iowa congressional races drew national attention. (Photo by John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Iowa Down Ballot with Dave Price 6/27/26 by Iowa Writers Collaborative

Laura Belin of Bleeding Heartland and Kathie Obradovich of Iowa Capital Dispatch are here to recap a wild week in Iowa politics.

Read on Substack

The saga of Iowa Libertarian Party candidates being kicked off the ballot got juicier this week with the Washington Post’s release of audio from a phone call in which U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tried to talk Libertarian Rick Stewart into dropping out of Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District race.

Dave Price, Laura Belin and I also discuss the resurfacing of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ spending of federal COVID-19 money on staff salaries and the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of the makers of Roundup weedkiller. Listen here.

The Iowa Down Ballot Podcast with Dave Price is a production of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Please consider a paid subscription today to help us cover production costs, or moving up to the benefactor level — or sending a gift subscription to a friend — if you’re already a paid subscriber. And please spread the word to friends who might enjoy the podcast. Thanks!  

Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch

Ag + Environment, Commentary, Election 2026, Government + Politics, CARES Act, Gov. Kim Reynolds, Iowa Libertarian Party, Iowa Writers' Collaborative, RFK Jr., Rick Stewart, Roundup, U.S. Supreme Court