Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks began with news about the partial government shutdown and the status of federal budget negotiations. They covered Donald Trump's latest Iowa rally, including notable remarks by the president and which members of Congress were (and were not) invited to speak. Other topics covered: a debate featuring four of the five Republican candidates for governor (you can guess who was the no-show), a poll testing messages about the Democrats running for governor, a new candidate for state treasurer, a new endorsement for Ashley Hinson, why the off-year precinct caucuses matter, and year-end fundraising by the Iowans running for U.S. House and Senate. Finally, they discussed the latest news from the Iowa legislature on property taxes and eminent domain.