JD Scholten, Candidate for US Senate

JD Scholten Pulled Over to Join Us—LiterallyLast week, JD Scholten was driving across Iowa when he pulled over— literally—to join our readers for a one-hour conversation about his quest to represent Iowa in the U.S. Senate.No commercials. No sound-bite slivers. Just a real conversation.The field of Democratic primary candidates is growing, and thanks to the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative—with contributors like Laura Belin, Robert Leonard, Douglas Burns, Art Cullen, and others—you’ll be introduced to each of them in a way that’s never been possible before, without the reach and immediacy of this digital platform.This is in service to you—Iowans—and the democratic process.So go ahead, tell a friend. Better yet, share the link.And mark your calendar:Monday, August 4 at noon Central, Iowa gubernatorial candidate Julie Stauch will join us live to take your questions about her run to become the Democratic nominee for governor, seeking to replace Kim Reynolds, who is not running for re-election.About this column and the Iowa Writers’ CollaborativeExpect the unexpected here. Some days I tackle issues, candidates, and news-makers, while other posts are more feature-oriented. On Mondays, I like to offer an opportunity for YOU to engage with thought-leaders locally and nationally. We in the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative are treading a new path. No other state has a group of professional writers who have joined forces like this to provide thoughtful, and in many cases, in-depth analysis of what is going on in Iowa. Ed Tibbetts, our colleague in Davenport, has been covering Iowa politics for decades. His work is a must-read for those who want to be in the know. Chuck Offenburger has been roaming the state most of his career, reporting on everything from the best sweet rolls in the state, to welcoming immigrants to Jefferson. Many of our members have been writing about water quality - or lack there of - since starting their columns on Substack (and before) which is bringing concerned citizens to a massive tipping point. Iowans are mad as hell at being ranked the worst state in terms of cancer diagnosis, and are not going to take it any more. These are issues many would prefer to not talk about. Or read about. And yet, we must. Your support is essential to making this kind of information available to all. We are not funded by corporate business interests, or advertising. Many of our writers are banging away on outdated computers, and scrapping together change to put gas in the tank to meet and interview someone. Seriously. Please know how important subscriber support is to bring this information to readers.And, thank you. OkobojiThe fifth annual Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat will be held September 28-October 2, on the shores of Lake Okoboji. If you would like more information, sign up to receive updates by clicking the link below. We have some great, new speakers being announced. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okobojiwriters.substack.com/subscribe