“Brace for losing everything”: Farm crisis fears grip GOP in Iowa
Source: By Marc Caputo and Linh Ta, Axios • Posted: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Iowa is on the verge of a farm crisis that threatens to wreck the agricultural heart of the state and hurt the fortunes of Republicans at the top of the midterm ticket. Why it matters: Democrats could win in several once-reliably Republican states in November, but President Trump’s policies have caused such severe financial problems for farmers — especially those who grow corn — that Iowa appears particularly vulnerable.
“In Iowa, we should brace for losing everything, definitely the governor’s race and maybe the Senate race and who knows what else,” said one top GOP campaign consultant working in Iowa and other states. Driving the news: As his political operation watches Iowa in alarm, Trump on Monday held a White House press conference to announce plans for a massive steel plant in the state that would be the nation’s largest. Iowa politicos note that the $15 billion plant wouldn’t come online until 2030, too late to provide tangible relief to people who are hurting now.