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DMR Giving Liz Mathis A Pass

by | Nov 9, 2021 | Campaigns, Opinion

It seems the members of Iowa’s press corps are quick to give Congressional Candidate Liz Mathis a pass. 

Last week, The Washington Free Beacon ran a story about Liz’s husband, Mark, and his social media posts, “comparing American Christians to Islamic terrorists, predicting Republicans would put people in gas chambers, and expressing hope that former president Donal Trump would get the coronavirus.


Normally, we here at the Iowa Field Report believe that spouses of candidates are off limits, until they do something to put themselves in the fray politically. We believe that what Mr. Mathis has done here certainly falls into that category.

Do the voters of Iowa’s newly redrawn 2nd District deserve to know the utter disdain that the Mathis family has for Christians? Would they be in any way affected by a Congresswoman who shares these views? Yes, of course.

As the Free Beacon points out:

“Mark Mathis may play a significant role in the campaign; Liz Mathis’s campaign website prominently features a photo of the two of them, and the couple remained business partners even after Liz Mathis was elected to office. The family business, AMPERAGE Marketing & Fundraising, appears to be led by the pair.”

And yet, the Iowa media has been completely silent on this revelation. Literally, not one paper in the state picked up on it or even went out of their way to ask the Mathis campaign for a comment. Do any of us think that if the roles were reversed and the spouse of a Republican candidate did something like this there wouldn’t be a story?

Lucky for us – we don’t have to wonder. 

We went to the wayback machine and dug this old article out, published in the Des Moines Register. In 2014, Buzzfeed ran a story about Sen. Joni Ernst’s husband and ONE post on Facebook in which he called Hillary Clinton “a hag,” BEFORE SHE WAS EVEN AN ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE. Regardless, the Register didn’t waste any time putting out their story, and even contacted Ernst for an on the record statement. 

Pretty similar circumstances – except, you know, worse. Actually announced candidate, spouse with a prominent role in the campaign, several degrading posts towards Republicans and Christians, and yet, not a peep. 

If it were just the first time, we might understand. Maybe, you know, the Des Moines Register has seen the error of their ways and no longer wants to be seen writing utterly ridiculous, slanted, or off the wall stories. 

While journalists tire of conservatives complaining about the liberal media bias and roll their eyes when we cite hypocrisy but this situation is a perfect example of the double standards journalists employ when covering democrats vs republicans.

Or maybe this is a pattern and they will continue to turn a blind eye to Liz Mathis’s flubs and give her a pass…all the way to the U.S. Capitol.