President Trump hit the campaign trail in Iowa on Tuesday, marking the first of many stops ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Speaking to supporters at a rally just outside of Des Moines, Trump touted what he said were economic gains made during his second administration and continued to blame former President Biden for the economy and the state of the border when he took office last year, reiterating much of his past criticisms of his predecessor.
“Twelve months ago Joe Biden handed us a mess,” Trump said. “But today, just after one year of President Trump, our economy is booming, incomes are rising, investment is soaring, inflation has been defeated, our border is closed.”
Trump has won Iowa three times going back to his first presidential run in 2016, but the state is home to a number of competitive races in November. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates Iowa’s open gubernatorial race as “lean Republican,” while its open Senate race is considered “likely Republican.”
The races for a number of Iowa’s House seats are more competitive, with Cook rating the seats held by incumbent Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) as “toss-ups.” The seat held by Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), who is running for the state’s Senate seat, is labeled “likely Republican.”
“You got to get out there and vote,” Trump urged the crowd. “We have really great candidates, again Senate and House.”
While the speech was filled with Trump’s usual attack lines against his political opponents, the president sought to tout what he said were his administration’s achievements in the state, including abolishing the electric vehicle mandate and supporting E-15 fuel blends.
Trump also touted his health care proposal, his no taxes on tips plan, and his executive order that intends to ban large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes.
The rally in Iowa comes as Trump faces a tough news week following the shooting death of Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents in Minnesota over the weekend. The initial response to the shooting from the administration resulted in backlash from both sides of the aisle.
The Iowa rally also gave Trump an opening to talk about something other than the turmoil in Minneapolis, including the accomplishments he sees on the economy, the border and in polls. However, polling shows Trump and Republicans face an uphill climb in messaging on his handling of the economy to voters.
A Morning Consult poll released last month showed the president’s approval rating in the Hawkeye State at 48 percent, while his disapproval rating sat at 49 percent.
“However hard Trump tries to explain away his failing economy, it’s abundantly clear that Americans aren’t buying it, especially in Iowa, where Trump’s policies are raising costs for Iowans, devastating Iowa’s agricultural economy, and destroying thousands of jobs that working Iowans rely on,” the Democratic National Committee said in a memo to reporters ahead of the rally.
