Recognizing Bleeding Heartland's talented 2024 guest authors

Bleeding Heartland set yet another record for guest contributions in 2024, with 416 posts involving 146 authors. (The previous record was 358 posts that more than 125 people wrote for this site in 2023.) I don’t know of any state-based political website that provides more quality coverage and commentary by guest contributors.

This year’s guest authors covered a wide range of topics, from public schools to local government, major employers, CO2 pipelines, notable events in Iowa history, and of course wildflowers.

They wrote about President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, Governor Kim Reynolds and her administration, Attorney General Brenna Bird, and of course former and future President Donald Trump.

During the legislative session, guest authors highlighted flaws in the governor’s plan to overhaul Area Education Agencies and the report that sought to justify it. They shared their own personal or professional experiences with AEAs. They covered other education proposals and explained why the state’s official school voucher numbers were misleading. They also covered bills that received less attention but could change many Iowans’ lives for better or worse.

During the 2024 campaign and its aftermath, guest authors wrote about presidential polling in Iowa and nationally, profiled candidates, and analyzed the election results from several angles.

Guest authors sounded the alarm about Iowa’s near-total abortion ban, unlawful drug testing at hospitals, and climate change impacts. They suggested ways to protect water and air quality, and flagged transparency problems in state and local government. They reviewed books that would interest many Bleeding Heartland readers.

They reflected on the lives of those who passed away this year, including Iowans Marcia Nichols, Bobby Washington, and Jim Leach, as well as Tim Kraft, who played an important role on some Iowa campaigns.

While many guest authors criticized Republican policies and politicians, some offered advice or constructive criticism to Democrats following the Iowa caucuses and another disappointing general election.

As noted below, some contributions by guest authors were among the most-viewed Bleeding Heartland posts of the year.

HOW TO WRITE FOR BLEEDING HEARTLAND

Please get in touch if you would like to write about any topic of local, statewide, or national importance during 2025. If you do not already have a user account on the site, I can set one up for you and explain the process. There is no standard format or word limit. This year, some guest contributions were a few hundred words long, while others were more than 2,000 words long. I copy-edit before publishing but do not impose my views or my voice on guest authors.

Although most writers choose to publish under their real names, I allow pseudonyms under some circumstances. I ask authors to disclose potential conflicts of interest, such as being a paid staffer, consultant, or lobbyist promoting any candidate or policy they discuss here.

Anyone can submit articles or commentaries for publication, including people who don’t currently live in Iowa or have never lived here, and writers who are not registered Democrats. I especially welcome contributions by authors from underrepresented communities in Iowa political news and commentary: women, people of color, young writers, members of the LGBTQ or disability communities, immigrants, or those who practice a religion other than Christianity or have no religious affiliation.

FULL LIST OF BLEEDING HEARTLAND’S GUEST POSTS IN 2024

Authors are listed in descending order by number of articles or commentaries published on this site during the 2024 calendar year. Those who submitted the same number of posts are listed in alphabetical order.

Bruce Lear was the site’s most prolific author this year, writing 34 posts:

Randy Evans distributes a regular weekly column to various Iowa publications, and Bleeding Heartland published 32 of those essays:

Rick Morain writes a regular column for the Jefferson Herald, and Bleeding Heartland republished 21 of those essays:

Daniel G. Clark allowed me to republish eighteen of the Iowa history essays he wrote for the Muscatine Journal, inspired by the 19th century civil rights leader Alexander Clark (no relation).

Herb Strentz also wrote eighteen posts this year:

Bernie Scolaro wrote fifteen posts:

Henry Jay Karp wrote eleven posts:

Jason Benell wrote ten posts:

Gerald Ott also wrote ten posts:

Steve Corbin regularly submits columns to many newspapers and news websites. I republished nine of those commentaries:

Nancy Dugan also wrote nine pieces for the site, mostly original reporting with some connection to Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed CO2 pipeline:

Two authors wrote eight posts each for the site. Dan Guild continued to provide insight on polling:

Ed Tibbetts originally published these posts on his Substack newsletter, Along the Mississippi:

Bill Bumgarner wrote seven posts for the site this year:

Diane Porter allowed me to republish seven wildflower posts that first appeared on her Substack newsletter, My Gaia:

Three authors each wrote six posts for the site in 2024. Douglas Burns:

Ira Lacher:

Kurt Meyer writes a regular column on Substack and for the Nora Springs – Rockford Register. Bleeding Heartland republished six of those essays:

Katie Byerly wrote five installments for the Iowa wildflower Wednesday series:

I republished five of Clark Kauffman’s stories for Iowa Capital Dispatch:

Seven authors each wrote seven posts. Charles Bruner:

Al Charlson:

Jim Chrisinger:

Dave Leshtz:

Dan Piller:

Wally Taylor:

David Tilly:

Eight authors each wrote three posts for the site. Rachel Bruns:

Nick Covington:

Bonnie Ewoldt:

Arnold Garson:

John Kearney:

Diane Rosenberg:

Sami Scheetz:

Scott Syroka:

Sixteen authors each contributed two posts. Marco Battaglia:

Allen Bonini:

Lora Conrad:

Alexandra Dermody:

Jack Hatch:

AJ Jones:

Robin Opsahl of Iowa Capital Dispatch:

Dani Replogle:

Ralph Rosenberg:

State Auditor Rob Sand:

Linda Schreiber:

Jared Strong:

Jenny Turner:

Tom Walton:

Ed Wasserman:

Kali White VanBaale:

The following 87 authors each wrote one post for the site during 2024.

Amy Adams:

There’s something happening in Iowa

Lanon Baccam:

Brave, loving, and generous today

Stephen G. Bloom:

Remembering Bobby Washington

Emily Boevers:

Iowa OB-GYN: My patients face two possible futures

Joe Bolkcom:

It’s time for GOP politicians to stop ripping off Iowa taxpayers

Bill Brauch:

My case against Iowa’s proposed gubernatorial succession amendment

Emily Bredthauer:

Late September wildflowers at Cordova Park

Norman Brewer:

Believe Trump when he threatens our freedoms

Dave Busiek:

The impact of Gannett dropping AP

Alexandra Bylund:

Governor’s bill would harm not only AEAs, but public schools broadly

Luuk Clark:

Iowa wildflower Wednesday: The whimsy of Silky Prairie Clover

John Clayton:

It was Indian land, and now it’s not

Tom Cope:

Great thinker, great listener. A staffer remembers Jim Leach

Ken Croken:

Iowa needs Melissa Vine in Congress

Andy Crozier:

Iowa needs more thoughtful, inclusive approach to AEA reform

Dallas County Democrats:

100-year-old Dallas County Democrat has a plan to vote this year

John Deeth:

Iowa Democratic caucus a limited success—but much work remains

DSM Lawyer:

When will we stop politicizing Iowa’s judiciary?

Sue Dinsdale:

Future of lower drug prices in Medicare depends on voters

Brooklyn Draisey:

Iowa Regents begin reviewing state university DEI programs

Channing Dutton:

Democrats’ climate change fumble

Amy Endle:

Why this school psychologist is leaving Iowa

Jeff Ewoldt:

A wildflower tour of the Iowa Great Lakes region

Erin Farquhar:

New Iowa law criminalizes life-saving treatments for kids (most-viewed Bleeding Heartland post of all time)

Gordie Felger:

What LGBTQ+ allyship looks like

Jason Fontana and Jennifer Jennings:

FAQ: Education Savings Accounts and private school tuition in Iowa

Jeff Fuhrman:

Vote with Ukraine in your heart

Charles Gaba:

Iowans would pay much more without enhanced ACA subsidies

Michael Giudicessi:

An open letter to Ernest in New Jersey

Chris Gloninger:

Des Moines and the climate reality: A year of extremes

Kara Grady:

Why the Regal Fritillary should be Iowa’s State Insect

Bill Graham:

Trial lawyers group opposes attacks on Iowa judges, justices

Mitch Henry:

Leadership, integrity make Lanon Baccam right choice on June 4

Laura Hessburg:

Discriminating against transgender people does not make anyone safer

Tommy Hexter:

Iowa should invest in family farms, not more big agribusiness

Blake Iverson:

The fourth crusade: How Gaza could cost Democrats the election

Andy Johnson:

Good anger

Mike Jones:

Are we the metro we think we are?

Steve King (not that Steve King):

How “Party of Destruction” is hurting Iowa’s public schools (among Bleeding Heartland’s 25 most-viewed posts of the year)

Gerhild Krapf:

German history shows dangers of electing Trump again

James Larew and Chris Jones:

Iowa needs a clean water and clean air constitutional amendment

Matthew Lee:

The media are failing us (again)

Michaelyn Mankel:

Iowa candidates must pledge to reject carbon pipeline money

Joan Marttila:

A losing candidate tells her side of the story

Brian McClain:

Iowa Democratic leaders, candidates denounce eminent domain ruling

Porter McNeil:

It’s still the economy

Ryan Melton:

Six reasons I’m motivated to keep going in a red district

Dexter Merschbrock

A working-class party needs a working-class party chair

Marla Mertz:

Iowa wildflower Wednesday: Queen of the Prairie

Dave Miglin:

Broadlawns is making progress. Help me keep the momentum going

Bruce Morrison:

Iowa wildflower Wednesday: Pale-spike lobelia

Jon Muller:

Buy an EV in 2024

Lyle Muller:

Trump’s lawsuit against Des Moines Register, Selzer is not about winning

Jim Nelson:

Wrapped in the flag and waving the Cross

Tim Nelson:

Do better, Des Moines

Jack O’Connor:

Iowa activists push to legalize fentanyl test strips

Pat O’Donnell:

Other state school voucher programs spell trouble for Iowa (ninth most-viewed post of the year)

Carl Olsen:

Iowa Department of Corrections asks for cannabis exemption

Jen Pellant:

Iowa can do better than “Right to Work”

Steve Peterson:

Senate File 496: An educator’s dilemma

Jess Piper:

Uncontested races are undemocratic

Randy Richardson:

State agency released misleading school voucher numbers

Connie Ryan:

Activists twist religious freedom laws to enable discrimination

Marty Ryan:

Don’t confuse inflation with the economy

Anna Ryon:

Brenna Bird abandons Iowans

Keith Schneider:

Palo Alto County seeks answers on cancer rate 50% above national average

Neal Schuster:

Louisiana, keep your hands off my Commandments

Kerri Schwemm:

This AEA direct service provider has many unanswered questions

Ruth Sheffield:

Lingering questions about the 2024 presidential election

Heather Sievers:

A mother’s perspective: How AEA reform will hurt Iowa’s children

Kenny Slocum:

It takes a village to find a False Foxglove

Phil Specht:

How Dare You Ask the Date My Son Died

William R. Staplin:

Abortion bans harm women’s health and weaken the economy

Ted Stilwill:

A critical look at the Guidehouse report on Iowa’s AEAs

Patrick Swanson:

Sauntering through the Southern Loess Hills on the LoHi Trek

Pam Mackey Taylor:

EPA puts major rivers on Iowa’s impaired waters list

Matthew P. Thornburg:

The muted impact of CO2 pipeline politics in Iowa’s 2024 general election

Jordan True:

Let Iowans with disabilities Work Without Worry

Melissa Vine:

Health care leaders: We win with Melissa Vine!

Kentin Waits:

Cemeteries are hallowed ground—until RAGBRAI comes to town

Frantz Whitfield:

We need Melissa Vine in Congress

greg wickenkamp:

Iowa City’s Teach Truth Day of Action 2024

Nate Willems:

Adding insult to injury for Iowa workers

Elizabeth Wilson:

Why I strongly endorse Melissa Vine

Tim Winter:

Tim Winter’s case to lead the Iowa Democratic Party

Cathy Young:

Christian Nationalism poses a grave threat to America

Adam Zabner:

Iowa should comply with National Voter Registration Act

About the Author(s)

Laura Belin

  • Thanks Laura

    I’ve valued the opportunity to present commentary on Bleeding Heartland to include your excellent editing support.

    Moreover, your tremendous skill and determination to shine the light on the workings and big issues of state government – to include its politics – is much appreciated.

    This is a critical time in Iowa and the United States. Some elected officials are choosing to use the levers of government to pursue policies to disproportionally serve their monied, powerful supporters at the expense of everyday citizens.

    Your fine journalism – while also empowering others to participate in our democracy – is invaluable in times like these.

    All the best in 2025.

  • Thank you, guest authors...

    …and thank you, Laura Belin. BLEEDING HEARTLAND is a very special Iowa resource.

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