Republicans are facing a tough fight in Iowa. President Trump’s campaign tour stopped in the state in hopes of rallying voters.
Republicans are facing a tough fight in Iowa. President Trump’s campaign tour stopped in the state in hopes of rallying voters.
Republicans are facing a tough fight in Iowa. President Trump’s campaign tour stopped in the state in hopes of rallying voters.
Transcript
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
President Trump is on a whirlwind tour to rally support for Republicans in competitive midterm races. Iowa Public Radio’s Sheila Brummer reports from Sioux City, where he campaigned last night.
SHEILA BRUMMER, BYLINE: A circus-like atmosphere outside a hangar at the Sioux Gateway Airport, where vendors sell all things Trump. Among them was Ricardo Boyles (ph) with his colorful hats.
RICARDO BOYLES: I have them in black, camo, pink, blue, red, green.
BRUMMER: Boyles left a Trump rally in Greenville, South Carolina, Tuesday night to make it to Iowa by Thursday.
BOYLES: One thousand three hundred and thirty-one miles, 21 hours and 40 minutes. It was fun. I love the cornfields.
BRUMMER: Local supporters included Robert Byrne (ph), who says he bleeds red when it comes to politics.
ROBERT BYRNE: 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.
BRUMMER: This is friendly territory for the president.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, thank you very much. I love this place.
BRUMMER: Here in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than 2 to 1. But republicans face a tougher fight statewide. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson is running for Senate against Democrat Josh Turek. A new poll conducted for the Cook Political Report puts Turek 2 percentage points ahead within the poll’s margin of error. Trump urged people to get behind Hinson.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
TRUMP: She will never let far-left maniacs push the radical left insanity on Iowa’s children. She’s…
BRUMMER: Trump also called on voters to elect Republican Zach Lahn as governor, who faces Democrat Rob Sand, Iowa’s state auditor. Polls gives Sand an 11-point lead. While speaking for more than 90 minutes, Trump mainly talked about himself, touting tax cuts, his international policies 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 because…
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
TRUMP: We won three times, but that’s right. You know, I want the three wins, but I don’t…
BRUMMER: Trump plans to return to Iowa November 1, just two days before the midterms.
For NPR News, I’m Sheila Brummer, Sioux City, Iowa.
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