President Donald Trump rallied Republicans in Sioux City Thursday night as the party works to boost turnout in competitive statewide races.
Trump carried Iowa in all three of his presidential campaigns and is trying to turn that support into votes for Republicans in the midterms.
Speakers included Sen. Chuck Grassley, Senate candidate Ashley Hinson and Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn.
It was friendly territory for the president. In Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, which covers the northwestern region of the state, registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than two to one. Independents also outnumber Democrats.
But Republicans face a tougher fight statewide. Hinson is running for Senate against Democrat Josh Turek, a state representative and Paralympic gold medalist. A new poll conducted for the Cook Political Report puts Turek two percentage points ahead, within the poll’s margin of error.
Trump urged people to get behind Hinson.
“Ashley Hinson, on the other hand, is a mother, a warrior, a patriot and she will never let far-left maniacs push the radical left insanity on Iowa's children," he said.
Trump also called on voters to elect Lahn as governor. Lahn defeated Trump’s first choice, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, in the primary. The president later endorsed Lahn.
Now, Lahn faces Democrat Rob Sand, Iowa’s state auditor. That same Cook poll gives Sand an eleven-point lead.
“The golden age of America is upon us, but you must go out. You must vote," Trump said. "You must vote, frankly, Republican. If you're going to vote Democrat, don't bother.”
Republican House candidates Joe Mitchell and Chris McGowan also spoke.
Rep. Zach Nunn and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who are facing competitive challenges to their seats, did not attend.
While speaking for more than 90 minutes, Trump mainly talked about himself, touting tax cuts, his international policy and support for farmers.
He riled people up by bringing up transgender rights, and another favorite topic, fake news, multiple times. He also returned to his false claims that he won in 2020, and that he should be able to run again.
“They cheated. They rigged the election. They rigged that election,” Trump said. “We did so good. We won three times, but that's all right. You know, I want the three wins.”
Police escorted a couple of people out of the rally, but the majority of the crowd seemed to enjoy what they heard from the president. Trump’s counting on that enthusiasm to help elect other Republicans.
He plans to return to Iowa on Nov. 1 for an event in Dubuque on the other side of the state.
Views from the crowd
There was circus-like atmosphere outside a hangar at the Sioux Gateway Airport, where vendors sell all things Trump.
Among them was Ricardo Boyles selling colorful hats. He left a Trump rally in Greenville, North Carolina, Tuesday night to make it to Iowa by Thursday.
“1,331 miles, 21 hours and 40 minutes. It was fun. I love the cornfields,” Boyles said.
David Reacher came from southwest Kansas and camped out overnight to get to the front of the line. After seeing the president in Wichita on Monday, he didn’t want to miss the action here.
“Trump is not the only reason I'm coming to these rallies,” Reacher said. “It's the vibe with all these people. Like we're all in the same focus, the same vision for America.”
Local supporters included Robert Byrne, who said he bleeds red when it comes to politics.
“My vote will be for Republicans up and down the ballot, every bit of it, because for some reason the choice this year is between sanity and insanity,” Byrne said.
Rising costs and tariffs draw criticism from some farmers
Ahead of Trump's visit, three farmers criticized Trump and Hinson at a news conference organized by the Iowa Democratic Party on Wednesday.
Ryan Marquardt, a fifth-generation Madison County farmer, said he recently paid $5.45 a gallon for off-road diesel, compared with less than $4 a year ago. Higher fuel costs are eating into already narrow margins during harvest, he said. He criticized Hinson for supporting Trump's tariffs and opposing congressional efforts to end U.S. involvement in the Iran war, which has disrupted oil shipments and driven up fuel prices.
"Farmers don't have infinite time," said Marquardt, who raises cattle and manages his family's 750-acre corn, soybean and hay operation. "Trade relationships aren't built overnight, and they shouldn't be casually torn apart."
Marquardt said any savings farmers have received from Republican-backed tax cuts have been effectively wiped out by higher operating costs, leaving little financial benefit for struggling operations, he said.
Trump recently announced $8 billion in emergency assistance to help farmers offset soaring diesel costs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says its Harvest Fuel Relief program will use acreage, production costs and crop estimates to calculate payments, with commodity payment rates expected to be announced in November.
But Marquardt questioned whether the payments would arrive in time or meaningfully benefit smaller operations.
"It's going to come too little, too late. It's not going to mean a lot, and it's going to just benefit the largest farms," he said.
Ellen Walsh-Rosmann, who raises cattle, hogs, corn, soybeans and egg-laying chickens with her husband in Shelby County, said tariffs have tripled the cost of a combine part while disrupting agricultural markets.
"A bailout doesn't restore a lost market," she said. "It doesn't give us back the money we've spent, and it doesn't give us the confidence to make next year's decisions."
Hinson has defended Trump's trade policies and her votes against measures seeking to end U.S. involvement in the Iran war. She has also said she wants the war to end.
Meanwhile, Hinson has broken with Trump over his decision to temporarily lift sanctions to allow imports of Russian diesel. She has instead called for temporarily suspending fuel taxes, restricting U.S. diesel exports, expanding year-round E15 ethanol sales, restoring a biodiesel tax credit and providing diesel rebates to farmers and truckers struggling with high fuel costs.
Hinson told reporters this week that she's encouraged by Trump's announcement of $8 billion in emergency diesel assistance for farmers, but acknowledged that the administration could do more.
Seth Watkins, a fourth-generation farmer near Clarinda who raises cattle, sheep and honeybees, said rising costs also hurt rural businesses and families who depend on farm income. Watkins, who ran for the Iowa Senate as a Republican in 2012, said he now identifies as a Democrat and supports Hinson's opponent, Josh Turek.
Marquardt described himself as a conservative Democrat who has also voted Republican and run for office as an independent. Walsh-Rosmann said she voted Republican in her first presidential election but now identifies as a Democrat.
