Reflections on the Iowa Legislative Session

The End of Session Always Feels Bittersweet

The end of the legislative session has come with a strange mix of relief and nostalgia - kind of like the end of summer camp. But it also means saying see you soon (definitely not goodbye!) to the people who helped hold everything together behind the scenes

This year, that goodbye feels especially personal. My clerk, Kira, stepped into a whirlwind and made it feel manageable. In a place where everything moves fast and expectations are high, she helped me get up and running in what felt like record time. She kept me organized when my desk—and sometimes my brain—threatened to become a pile of sticky notes and half-finished thoughts.

More than that, Kira brought a sense of steadiness and humor that you can’t put in a job description. She knew when to keep things moving and when to pause just long enough for a quick laugh in the middle of serious moments. 

The Work You Don’t See at the Capitol

Legislative clerks don’t get the spotlight and yet they are essential to the work getting done. They are the steady hands, the quiet problem-solvers, the ones who make a chaotic process feel just a little more human.

As the session wraps up, I’m grateful—not just for the work we accomplished, but for the people who made it possible. Kira has been an incredible asset, and Iowa is better off because of her.