River to River

Vance supports for Iowa Republicans at Council Bluffs rally

By Ben Kieffer,

Published September 24, 2026 at 7:00 AM CDT

Ways To Subscribe

Only half of Iowa's top Republican ticket showed up when Vice President JD Vance visited Iowa. On this Politics Day episode, we hear from political scientists Sara Mitchell of the University of Iowa and Dave Peterson of Iowa State. We discuss Vance's visit to Council Bluffs, Trump's address to the UN, the White House banning three news organizations from official events and more.

Guests:

Sara Mitchell, professor and collegiate fellow, University of Iowa
Dave Peterson, Lucken professor of political science, Iowa State University

Tags

Ben Kieffer

Ben Kieffer is the host of "River to River." Since 2007, Kieffer has interviewed, conversed with, and shared ideas from guests of all backgrounds and locations, and has helped listeners better understand, appreciate, and explore their state and the world around them. Kieffer has a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa.

See stories by Ben Kieffer

Caitlin Troutman

Caitlin Troutman is an award-winning talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from William Jewell College. Since 2022, Troutman has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.

See stories by Caitlin Troutman

Neve Kelley

Neve Kelley is IPR's talk show production assistant. She recently graduated from Oberlin College, where she studied English, environmental studies, writing and communication. She is originally from Peoria, Illinois. She uses her passion for community-centered storytelling to showcase the people, culture and arts that shape Iowa. Some of her favorite things to do in Iowa include going to shows at Codfish Hollow and the Englert, visiting different coffee shops and taking yoga classes.

See stories by Neve Kelley