President Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail Tuesday with a rally in Iowa, beginning what aides say will be a series of stops ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Speaking to supporters outside Des Moines, Trump highlighted what he described as economic gains during his second term while again blaming former President Joe Biden for economic conditions and border security issues when he took office last year.
“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 carried Iowa in three presidential elections dating back to 2016, but the state features several competitive races this year. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates Iowa’s open gubernatorial race as “lean Republican,” while the open U.S. Senate race is considered “likely Republican.” Several U.S. House contests are tighter, with seats held by Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn rated as “toss-ups.”
“You got to get out there and vote,” Trump told the crowd. “We have really great candidates, again Senate and House.”
Trump also promoted policies he said benefit Iowa, including support for E-15 fuel blends, eliminating what he called an electric vehicle mandate, a proposal to end taxes on tips, health care changes, and an executive order aimed at limiting institutional investors from buying single-family homes.
The rally came days after the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by federal agents, an incident that has generated bipartisan criticism of the administration. Polling suggests Trump faces challenges on economic messaging in Iowa, with a recent Morning Consult survey showing his approval narrowly trailing disapproval in the state.
