Iowa native here

Thank you for posting this, Peacetrain. As a long time denizen of JoCo, I know there are a ton of hardworking local Dems that are committed to electing true blue progressives. However, Iowa has changed politically, and much of that is due to the takeover of media outlets by fascist conservatives with their ubiquitous megaphone, AM Hate Radio.

The demographic trends do not bode especially well for Iowa either. Agribusiness conglomerates are responsible for much of the climate-damaging emissions and poor land stewardship of extractive monoculture, so eco-minded ideas are suppressed. This is a low-wage state, and younger Iowans with education and a liberal mindset usually can't wait to gtfo of Iowa. I don't blame them. Try cashing out after a career of working here and moving to a real blue state - you cannot afford it! The educational system is being dismantled by the Republicans, who continually defund whatever good things used to be part and parcel of Iowa's schools.

It is sad to say, but Iowa does not deserve to play an instrumental role in Democratic Party Presidential selection any longer. The same trends that are turning the rest of the US more blue are reversed here in Iowa. Open-mindedness and egalitarianism have been pushed aside in favor of ignorance and nativism. Maybe it is simply the poor water quality and other environmental degradation that is rotting people's brains here, but I suspect is more nefarious. Even in (rural) Johnson County, I have no representation by any Democrat in government, other than the County Supervisors, and this is primarily because of gerrymandering. My new state Representative and State Senator-elects are now Republican, sadly.

I can no longer claim to be proud of being from Iowa. I am uncertain any national party investment in local or statewide races would sufficiently move the needle, but we will likely not find out in my remaining lifetime.