The political spotlight lit up on Iowa on Monday, as the state held its presidential caucus — its alternative to a primary — and it plucked from the Republican Party its latest crazy pick for commander in chief in Sen. Ted Cruz. But the caucus and Iowa politics in general have plsometimes produced a field of nightmares. Granted, Iowa is not right-wing overall — it's gone Democratic in six of the last seven presidential elections, it has elected such LGBT-supportive politicians as former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin and former Govs. Tom Vilsack and Chet Culver, and its Supreme Court made the state an early entry in the marriage equality column, back in 2009. But among Iowa Republicans, Christian conservatives hold a great deal of power, and they've given us a bumper crop of crazy. Here are some of the scariest children of the corn to emerge from the state.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
