COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Vice President JD Vance on Friday mounted a vigorous defense of the Trump administration's policies and Iowa GOP candidates on the November ballot, arguing that the Democrats had turned into the party of “lunatics," in his second trip to the politically consequential state this year.
While in Iowa, Vance tried to nationalize the elections, invoking Democratic candidates in other states such as Kansas, Texas and New York
at a time when the state's Democratic ticket has tried to keep its focus local. But he took plenty of swings at Iowa Democrats, saying their candidate for governor, Rob Sand, was a “career politician" and not a moderate, despite his public persona.
“Let's send the crazy packing and get them out of Washington, D.C., and get them out of Des Moines,” Vance told the crowd at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, located on the western edge of the once-Republican stronghold state. Iowa has found itself with competitive races for the Senate and the governor’s mansion this year.
Zach Lahn, the GOP nominee for governor, campaigned alongside Vance, who showered him with effusive praise. But missing was Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, the party’s Senate candidate, who did not attend the rally Friday due to previously scheduled events, according to her campaign.
Council Bluffs is home to Josh Turek, the Democratic nominee for the Senate who represents the area in the Statehouse.
“It’s no mystery why Vance is here,” Turek wrote in a fundraising appeal ahead of Vance’s visit. “It’s because his billionaire bosses are terrified that their grip over Iowa is slipping — and with it, their narrow Senate majority.”
Vance spoke about job growth under the Trump administration and was greeted with cheers for the administration’s work on immigration and border security. Continuing on his laundry list of White House accomplishments, Vance mentioned the administration’s work to get “most favored nation” prescription drug prices and highlighted the policies on not taxing tips or overtime and protecting Social Security.
In the agriculture-heavy state, Vance said he was perhaps “most proud of what we’ve been able to do for Iowa farmers,” pointing to efforts by the administration to open up more global markets to American-grown food.
Still, Vance urged voters to be patient.
“Whenever you hear me talk during this midterm campaign, I’ll say Rome was not built in a day because we know there’s a lot of work to do,” Vance said.
Vance took his first trip to the state as vice president in May, campaigning alongside Rep. Zach Nunn, one of the party’s most endangered incumbents this year. Nunn and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, another Iowa Republican, voted earlier this week in a symbolic measure to halt the war in Iran, underscoring how the military conflict that Trump launched is causing political troubles for his own party.
The vice president has been one of the most visible surrogates on the midterm campaign trail, jetting to locations such as Kansas, Wisconsin and his native Ohio to promote Republican candidates and the administration’s achievements.
Friday’s rally location is in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, which is being vacated by Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra after his failed bid for governor. Democrat Dave Dawson and Republican Chris McGowan are vying for the seat. That race is not considered one of the more competitive races in this election.
Vance’s visit to the state shows Republican candidates are in political trouble in November, said Katie Smith, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, in a statement.
“Iowans have had enough of their D.C.-first, Iowa-last priorities and will hold them all accountable for their agenda that’s caused skyrocketing prices at the pump, grocery stores, and doctor’s office,” Smith said.
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Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report from Des Moines, Iowa.
