Robin Opsahl

Robin Opsahl

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Robin Opsahl is an Iowa Capital Dispatch reporter covering the state Legislature and politics. Robin has experience covering government, elections and more at media organizations including Roll Call, the Sacramento Bee and the Wausau Daily Herald, in addition to working on multimedia projects, newsletters and visualizations. They were a political reporter for the Des Moines Register covering the Iowa caucuses leading up to the 2020 presidential election, assisting with the Register's Iowa Poll, and reporting on Iowa's 4th District elections.

Democrats in Iowa’s competitive 1st, 3rd Districts release first campaign ads of 2026
Iowa

Democrats in Iowa’s competitive 1st, 3rd Districts release first campaign ads of 2026

6:17pm ET
Robin Opsahl
Iowa Democrats running in two of the country’s most competitive U.S. House districts have released their first television campaign ads of the 2026 general election cycle. On Thursday, state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, a Democrat who is running in Iowa’s...
Gov. Kim Reynolds calls for Iowans to donate blood amid national shortage
Iowa

Gov. Kim Reynolds calls for Iowans to donate blood amid national shortage

Aug 05, 2026
Robin Opsahl
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds called for Iowans to donate blood amid a national shortage this summer — and said she would “lead by example” with a donation Wednesday at LifeServe Blood Center. In late July, the American Red Cross declared...
Iowa Libertarian Party to hold 3rd District nominating convention after Battaglia ends campaign
Iowa

Iowa Libertarian Party to hold 3rd District nominating convention after Battaglia ends campaign

Aug 04, 2026
Robin Opsahl
The Libertarian Party of Iowa will hold a convention Sunday to nominate a new 3rd District candidate to appear on the November ballot after Libertarian Marco Battaglia ended his campaign. The state party announced Monday Battaglia was ending his campaign...
Rep. Zach Nunn, U.S. labor secretary say 2025 tax cuts help Iowa businesses expand
Iowa

Rep. Zach Nunn, U.S. labor secretary say 2025 tax cuts help Iowa businesses expand

Aug 04, 2026
Robin Opsahl
Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling said Tuesday that U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn played a key role in passing the “One, Big Beautiful Bill” Act — a law that he said has helped support and expand Iowa manufacturing sector...
Iowa now meets federal nursing home inspection requirements, audit finds
Iowa

Iowa now meets federal nursing home inspection requirements, audit finds

Aug 03, 2026
Robin Opsahl
An audit released Monday shows the state has made “substantial improvements” in efforts to inspect nursing homes and now meets federal requirements, state Auditor Rob Sand said. In 2024, the state auditor’s office found certified nursing homes in Iowa were...
Rep. Josh Turek holds affordability roundtable, criticizes Hinson for finances
Iowa

Rep. Josh Turek holds affordability roundtable, criticizes Hinson for finances

Jul 31, 2026
Robin Opsahl
Democrat Josh Turek said Friday he understands Iowans’ struggles with high costs of living more personally than his opponent for the U.S. Senate seat in November, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson. Turek, a Paralympian and current state representative, held a roundtable...
ACLU Iowa: School resource officers arrest more Black, disabled students
Iowa

ACLU Iowa: School resource officers arrest more Black, disabled students

Jul 30, 2026
Robin Opsahl
Black students and those with disabilities are much more likely to be arrested or referred to law enforcement than other students in Iowa schools with school resource officers, an American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa report published Thursday found. School...
Iowa Libertarian gubernatorial candidate plans to file appeal in ballot removal case
Iowa

Iowa Libertarian gubernatorial candidate plans to file appeal in ballot removal case

Jul 29, 2026
Robin Opsahl
Iowa Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Nicholas Gluba said Wednesday his campaign plans to appeal a district court decision keeping him and his running mate off the ballot. Gluba and his running mate Jules Cutler, the Libertarian lieutenant governor candidate, were taken...
Barack Obama tells Iowans ‘ball’s in your court’ to elect Josh Turek to U.S. Senate
Iowa

Barack Obama tells Iowans ‘ball’s in your court’ to elect Josh Turek to U.S. Senate

Jul 29, 2026
Robin Opsahl
Josh Turek picked up an endorsement for his U.S. Senate bid Wednesday from former President Barack Obama, announced in a video showing the two Democrats playing basketball together. Turek, a state representative and two-time Paralympic gold medalist with 2016 and...
Sand presents ‘distinctions’ with opponent’s positions during cancer forum
Iowa

Sand presents ‘distinctions’ with opponent’s positions during cancer forum

Jul 28, 2026
Robin Opsahl
Gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand said he would support increasing pediatric cancer research funding, raising taxes on tobacco and nicotine products and ensuring access to cancer-preventing vaccines — but warned advocates Tuesday these actions will require GOP support. Sand, a Democrat...
Democrat Rob Sand calls for social media age limit in kids’ tech safety plan
Iowa

Democrat Rob Sand calls for social media age limit in kids’ tech safety plan

Jul 27, 2026
Robin Opsahl
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand said he supports banning social media for children under age 16, setting age verification and parental consent requirements on certain apps and providing more safeguards for minors online, according to a kids’ online safety policy...
Sen. Ted Cruz calls for regulating kids’ use of AI chatbots at Hinson campaign event
Iowa

Sen. Ted Cruz calls for regulating kids’ use of AI chatbots at Hinson campaign event

Jul 25, 2026
Robin Opsahl
ANKENY — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said Saturday Congress needs to find a balance between regulating artificial intelligence chatbots and incentivizing the growth of the country’s AI industry as he joined U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson at a roundtable in Ankeny...