The episode opens with a reflection on America's 250th birthday. Chris wanted more. The fireworks, the parades, the national moment — it didn't feel commensurate with what 250 years of the greatest experiment in self-government deserves. John connects the muted celebration to decades of failure to teach American history, and the two discuss why the left's framework for America — defined by grievan...
Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back in the Hendrickson Library for a special episode: the first public look at the ITR Foundation's June 2026 general election poll. These are, as far as Chris knows, the first published numbers of the cycle on Iowa's major statewide races — and the results are worth paying attention to.
The episode opens on the Ian Roberts saga — the KCCI interview, the body cam arrest footage, and the stubborn contingent of Iowa liberals still defending him. From there, a quick take on the Iran ceasefire deal: $300 billion, sanctions relief, and a memorandum of understanding that raises more questions than it answers. Senator Joni Ernst wants to know where the money is coming from, and Chris and...
Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back in the Hendrickson Library with a packed episode covering Iowa's fast-moving post-primary political landscape. Both gubernatorial candidates have now selected their running mates: Rob Sand tapped Dave Muhlbauer, a farmer from western Iowa, while Zach Lahn chose State Representative Derek Wulf of Black Hawk County, also a farmer. Chris and John break down...
The Iowa primary is in the books and the headliner on the Republican side was the governor's race, where Zach Lahn edged out Congressman Randy Feenstra 38% to 37.2% — a razor-thin margin that nonetheless produced a clear nominee. Chris and John unpack what drove Lahn's late momentum, why Feenstra came up short despite his early advantages in money and name recognition, and what the rapid consolida...
Governor Reynolds signed the property tax bill into law, and Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are here to put a bow on it. The 2% revenue cap takes effect July 1st, with estimates putting the relief at $4 billion over six years. The response from local governments has ranged from genuine concern to full-blown hysteria — pools, libraries, trails, economic development, and public safety all report...
The Iowa Legislature finally wrapped up Sunday evening after an all-weekend push, and Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are here to make sense of what actually happened. The headline: Iowa passed a meaningful property tax bill built around a 2% revenue limitation — the reform ITR has championed for years. It's not a dramatic overnight cut, but it puts a real ceiling on what local governments can ...
An update on Iowa's property tax bill: The House picked up the Senate file, amended it with their own language, and passed it 64 to 23 — with three Democrats crossing the aisle — sending it back to the Senate. Chris and John walk through the standout moment from the House floor debate: Ways and Means Chairman Carter Nordman's defense of the 2% hard spending cap. His argument is the one that matter...
Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back at the Hendrickson Library for another episode of ITR Live, checking in on Iowa politics as the legislative session heads into its final stretch and the June primary begins to take shape. With 46 days until primary day, the race for governor is heating up — and candidates across the board are hitting the airwaves in chore coats and barn settings, leaning...