Dear Friends,

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS WEEK’S PROGRAM:

(01:12) A conversation with Rep. J.D. Scholten;
(35:27) Big Oil uses the courts to try to silence opponents;
(43:57) How Poland fought off authoritarianism;
(52:47) A win against Roundup, with Kathy Byrnes.

Check out my thirty-minute conversation with Rep. J.D. Scholten. We cover all kinds of ground — from baseball to tariffs to eminent domain to the 2026 election. After the interview, Kathy’s grandson, Quincy, jumped in for a short and silly Q & A. For a good laugh, click on the image below.
This week, we’ve seen increased speculation about which Iowa Democrat might challenge Joni Ernst for her US Senate seat. A long-time friend, acquaintance, and fellow traveler in the pursuit of journalist truth and intelligence, Doug Burns, published a compelling endorsement of Rep. Josh Turek (D-Council Bluffs) in this week’s Iowa Mercury Substack.

I agree with almost everything Doug says about Josh, who has a bright future in politics. Everything except one: the strongest candidate to take on Joni Ernst is Rep. J.D. Scholten (D-Sioux City).

I’d be content with either Josh or J.D. as the nominee. Did I say “content?” I meant thrilled, excited, and eager to help.

J.D. and Josh have a lot in common. They’re both sports standouts — J.D. in baseball, Josh in basketball. They’re the only two statehouse Democrats from the western half of the state. They’re transparent, sincere, and straightforward — rare qualities in politicians these days.

Most important, they present a strong message focused on economic populism.

Why does J.D. have a better shot at beating Ernst? Thanks to two campaigns for Congress, his name recognition is high and his message has been well-received. In 2018, J.D. gained national recognition after he nearly beat former Congressman Steve King. More than any Iowa Democrat, J.D. starts with the kind of strong foundation needed to launch a campaign for US Senate.

The biggest mistake Iowa Democrats could make is to let Chuck Schumer and the DC political elite pick the nominee. DC Dems love to butt in, throw corporate cash at milquetoast candidates, and buy nominations. The result is consistently predictable: their candidates usually lose in the general election.

So, let’s get on this early, folks. Sen. Zach Wahls (D-Coralville) is also considering a run for US Senate. Nothing against Zach, but he’s absolutely the wrong choice.

For one thing, Zach’s campaign website is devoid of issues. Completely. That’s not only weird, but instructive. If Zach’s a populist on economic issues, I haven’t seen it.

For comparison, the campaign websites of both J.D. and Josh feature an issues page that matches their rhetoric.

Unlike J.D. and Josh, who have been responsive every time I’ve contacted them and have appeared on my program a couple times, Zach has mostly ghosted me and hasn’t accepted several invitations to dialogue.

Finally, a liberal Democrat from Iowa City or Des Moines doesn’t stand a chance in rural-red Iowa or in the working-class towns that have flipped from blue to red in recent years. These days, being a Democrat from the People’s Republic of Johnson County or Duh-Moines is a political handicap almost impossible to overcome.

If you want to learn more about J.D., subscribe to his Substack: You’re Probably Getting Screwed. As J.D. admits on my program, his mom’s not thrilled with the title. But hey, it’s how a lot of us feel about how big corporations — often with the tacit or active assistance of bought-and-paid-for politicians — are making our lives difficult or even unbearable these days.

Thanks for reading, listening, and taking action. — Ed Fallon

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In addition to our PODCAST, listen to the Fallon Forum on these affiliates:

– KHOI 89.1 FM (Ames, Iowa)
– KICI.LP 105.3 FM (Iowa City, Iowa)
– WHIV 102.3 FM (New Orleans, Louisiana)
– KPIP-LP, 94.7 FM (Fayette, Missouri)
– KCEI 90.1 FM (Taos, New Mexico)
– KRFP 90.3 FM (Moscow, Idaho)
– WGRN 94.1 FM (Columbus, Ohio)