Trump return to Iowa likely ahead of high-stakes midterms, GOP gubernatorial candidate says
President Donald Trump's campaign blitz to help Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections will bring him back to Iowa just a few months before the November races, a Republican gubernatorial hopeful there said.
Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, was one of several House Republicans traveling with the president during his latest stop in the Hawkeye State Tuesday, which Trump capped off with a rally-style speech in Clive in the late afternoon.
The conservative Republican is also the frontrunner in the Republican gubernatorial primary there and is expected to face off against Democrat state official Rob Sand in November.
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"He's coming back. So, we have the 250th anniversary. That's going to be at the state fair. He's come down for that. We're going to have a big bash. It's going to be exciting. That's gonna be a big deal," Feenstra told Fox News Digital Wednesday. "Hopefully, he comes back a few more times."
The Iowa State Fair will take place in Des Moines from Aug. 13-23, according to the event's website.
That's roughly three months ahead of what's expected to be a tough midterm season for Republicans across the country. History dictates that the president's party normally suffers political setbacks during the election cycle two years after power changes hands.
Meanwhile, Democrats across the country have fallen back into positioning Trump as a divisive political boogeyman. But Feenstra argued the opposite, saying Trump's effort to stay active during the election cycle will "absolutely" benefit Republicans.
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"He carried Iowa by 13 points, and him engaging and stimulating the base — I mean, he turns out voters like nobody else. He had 77 million Americans that voted for him in the last election talking about making America great again. Now, he's talking about lowering prices, making things more affordable," Feenstra said.
"He's lowered the price on gas. He lowered the price on eggs. He's lowered the price on a lot of pharmaceuticals. He's lowered the price on healthcare. I mean, people are going to get the biggest refund they've ever had through … the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. These are all things that are really relatable to people. I think that will help turn people out."
Other House Republicans who traveled with Trump Tuesday were Reps. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, and Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, the latter of whom is running for U.S. Senate.
Before the speech, they and Trump traveled to the Machine Shed, a restaurant near the rally venue, where they met with everyday Iowa voters.
"They wanted their hats signed. They want their napkins signed. They wanted to talk to him about, you know, how things were, and what he has done over the last year has truly benefited them," Feenstra said.
"We had one gentleman pray with him, which I found very interesting. He just said, ‘Hey, Mr. President, will you pray with me?’ And they prayed together. So, it was just the Iowa way of life."