Trump visiting Iowa to kick off midterm election campaigning

Washington — President Trump is in Iowa Tuesday to speak on the economy and rally voters, as sources say the state is a key part of his team’s strategy for helping Republicans hold onto power in the House. 

The visit to the Des Moines area is the president’s first campaign-style trip of 2026. Democrats are hopeful that they’ll have the support to win back the House in the November midterm elections, while Republicans scramble to maintain control. 

Even though he isn’t on the ballot and can’t run for president again, Mr. Trump began his speech by reminiscing about past elections and teasing a fourth bid for the presidency. 

“Should we do it a fourth time?” he goaded the crowd with a smile. 

The president has endorsed three of Iowa’s four Republican House members — Reps. Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Zach Nunn. The fourth, Rep. Randy Feenstra planned to travel with Mr. Trump throughout the day. Feenstra isn’t seeking reelection because he’s running for governor. 

All six members of Iowa’s congressional delegation — four House members and two senators — are Republicans. At this point, Mr. Trump’s support among Republicans remains strong: A CBS News poll from mid-January found that nationally, Mr. Trump has a 90% approval rating among Americans who identify as Republican. According to one source, the president intends to campaign as if he were on the ticket. The same poll found that 69% of those who identify as independent disapprove of the president. 

Multiple protesters were escorted out of the speech Tuesday night. 

Mr. Trump visited a local restaurant before his speech, greeting diners and speaking briefly to reporters. 

“I’m going around,” Mr. Trump said of his travel schedule to reporters at Machine Shed Restaurant in Davenport, Iowa. “And I’m going around because hopefully we win the midterms.”

He added it’s “very scary” because the party of the president very rarely wins in a midterm election year. 

The state will have an open race for governor after Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds last year said she would not seek a third term. Multiple Republicans are running in the GOP primary. On the Democratic side, Rob Sand leads the field and has so far raised roughly $9.5 million in 2025, over twice Feenstra’s $4.3 million. 

Nunn was likely to run for governor, too, until Mr. Trump asked him to seek reelection in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, a competitive seat. Nunn won his seat by less than four points in 2024, a much more favorable year for Republicans than 2026 is expected to be. Democrats led Republicans on the generic ballot in recent polls. 

Trump has not yet endorsed any candidates in the Iowa 4th Congressional District, Feenstra’s seat, or in the Iowa 3rd District, where Hinson is seeking to replace Sen. Joni Ernst, who is not running for reelection. 

The last time Mr. Trump was in Iowa was July 2025 to kick off the yearlong celebration of America’s 250th birthday.