What to watch in 2024

A caucus, Republican power, court cases, a repeat? and more

The ball drops. The calendar flips. Resolutions overflow with hope. We get ready for a new year.

(Sickness meandered through our household as 2023 came to a close. I hope that you are starting 2024 healthy.)

Here is what I’ll be watching in 2024:

1. Caucus margins — Yes, the winner of Iowa’s Republican Caucuses matters. But so does how much the winner beats the second place candidate (and possibly, how much the difference is between second and third place).

2. The courts — I could do an entire column on the significance of the courts in 2024. And I might after the caucuses. For now, I’m watching how much the courts will impact Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Some states are trying to keep him off their primary ballots for his role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021. Plus, there are the numerous federal and state criminal and civil investigations. So much for Americans to follow in the year ahead. So much is at stake.

3. More courts — What will the courts in Iowa do about the “fetal heartbeat bill” (which bans nearly all abortions after about six weeks of conception) and the law that restricts most books in public school libraries that include sexual activity and bans some discussions about gender identity?

4. More tax cuts — How low will Iowa Statehouse Republicans take the income tax rate in the upcoming legislative session? Eliminating the personal income tax completely may not be possible yet but they are determined to get closer to that number.

5. More education changes — 2023 included some of the biggest changes in education in Iowa that I can remember since I moved here in 2001. What’s left?

6. The drought — It’s been three straight years. Osceola in Clarke County is one of the communities struggling mightily as its water supply dwindles. We need rain badly. Will 2024 bring relief?

7. The pipelines — Will any of the carbon sequestration pipelines get the official “yes” to proceed from the Iowa Utilities Board? (I could add this issue to the earlier entries about the courts, since this issue will likely end up there, too.)

8. The toxicity — I’m more concerned than I’ve ever been about the nastiness people display these days. Please don’t let this lead to more violence. One January 6th was enough.

9. The election — A Biden-Trump rematch? A surprise nominee to replace one or both of them instead? (Yes, that would be a big surprise if neither is the nominee.)

10. Red Iowa — Can Iowa Democrats make any of the 4 congressional districts competitive in the general election? Can they make gains in the Iowa house or senate? Is it possible for Republicans to pick up even more seats in the legislature?

That’s my Top 10 for now. What else should be on this list?

Of course, it will be the unpredictable events and issues that may capture our attention more.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and meaningful 2024 and thank you for your support in the new year!

Something Else…

Politics and agriculture collided in this piece that I wrote for American Farmland Owner’s newsletter. Read it here.

And a conversation with my in-laws from Tampa led to this piece that I wrote about what’s making it so difficult for the citrus industry in Florida and what’s bringing opportunities in another state. Read that piece here.

Dave Price’s Perspective is part of the Iowa Writers Collaborative, a group of independent journalists. Please check out the other writers.

Here’s the list.