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Iowa Politics with Jeff Stein — Wed. Jan. 29, 2025

By Jeff Stein Jan 29, 2025 | 6:27 AM

Going Too Far

 

It’s the quickest path for a political party on the ropes to right itself and get back on top…namely, for the opposition, the ones in power, to go too far.

 

Look at the situation in Iowa. All six members of the Congressional delegation are Republicans. Every statewide officeholder but one is a Republican. 67 of the 100 House members are Republicans, and 34 of the 49 Senate members are Republican. That’s a lot of red, and Democrats are indeed “blue” these days.

 

On the national level, the new Republican President won both the electoral and popular vote. The Senate majority has flipped to Republican hands. And the House has a Republican majority, although barely.

 

But again, the quickest way for all that to flip is for the Republicans—either at the state or national level—to push their agendas too far…so far that the more independent voters who could be swayed the next time there’s an election will toggle back to the Democrat side and tip the balance back.

 

It’s a tricky balance, because if the party in the majority does not push its agenda, it will alienate the base that put them in power to begin with.

 

That’s why it’s a balance—striking the right chord so as to help as many citizens…without alienating too many citizens…as possible.

 

Given the closeness of the national margins, the issue is of greater concern there. But even here in Iowa, quite a signal could be sent in less than two years, with all the House, all the statewide offices, and half the Senate on the ballot—and keep in mind that’s a presidential midterm year, where the party in power typically falls off the mark.

 

Yes, those in office won elections and can claim some sort of loose mandate from voters. But voters are fickle. Going too far now could well mean falling back in numbers next time around.