Author
Barbara Rodriguez
Barbara Rodriguez is our state politics and voting reporter. She most recently worked at the Des Moines Register, where she covered health care, politics and state government. Before that, Barbara was the Iowa statehouse reporter for The Associated Press, where she worked for a decade.
The Latest
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Kamala Harris returns to Iowa to defend abortion — just as Republican presidential hopefuls descend
The vice president’s second trip this year comes as GOP candidates, including Donald Trump, visit the key state in the primary.
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As Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs abortion bill, her power in GOP is on full display
The reception for Reynolds at an evangelical summit — plus the defense of her mounted by other Republicans after digs from former President Donald Trump — spotlight her place in the state and the party.
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Why the DeSantis campaign is betting on the political power of ‘mamas’
The Florida governor isn’t the only candidate who is working to harness the voting power of conservative women in the GOP presidential race, but a recent Iowa event with Casey DeSantis put a spotlight on the effort.
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Voting organizers are breathing ‘a deep sigh of relief’ over Supreme Court rulings on elections — for now
Without voting policy on the state and federal level, experts are concerned about big ramifications for how voters will be able to weigh in on issues like abortion, the economy and gun violence.
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‘Does this mean that my existence is illegal now?’: New Kansas anti-trans law brings legal unknowns
Advocates worry the law, which takes effect July 1, could impact many areas of life for trans and gender-diverse people — including their ability to vote without discrimination.
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Gretchen Whitmer wants Democrats to keep talking about abortion
The Michigan governor, a rising star in the Democratic Party, reflects on the work that remains in ensuring abortion access in her state and nationwide.
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Women of every race and ethnicity broke representation records in statehouses after the 2022 midterms
Women still lag in representation in elected office, but a number of new highs were hit, according to data compiled by the Center for American Women and Politics.
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Could access to child care be the key to helping parents clear arrest warrants?
"Warrant clinics" have lawyers, clerks and judges — but no threat of arrest, making it a place parents can take care of legal issues without the fear that their child won’t be cared for.
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CNN aired Trump’s election lies this week. For election workers, it has consequences.
Election workers, a predominantly women-led workforce, have had little respite from the effects of conspiracy theories.
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How a new law allowed E. Jean Carroll to seek justice against Trump years later
Survivors of sexual assault and advocates helped pass the Adult Survivors Act in New York that was instrumental to Carroll’s civil case. They hope more people will file claims under the law, an option that expires in six months.