Vulnerable Iowa Republicans rally around Trump’s Iowa steel plant announcement

GOP Iowa Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Ashley Hinson, a nominee for the Senate, joined President Trump in the Oval Office on Monday for his announcement of a new steel plant in their state as they brace for a tough November midterm election.

The president announced a massive $15 billion steel plant in the Hawkeye State and touted the creation of jobs for Iowans as the economy and affordability remain a top issue for voters.

Trump won Iowa in the 2024 election, but this cycle, polling has shown Republicans struggling to maintain Senate seats they’ve held for more than a decade.

A Marist poll from last week showed Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek was leading Hinson by 8 points. Polls also have shown Democratic House candidate Christina Bohannan slightly leading Miller-Meeks.

Trump promised a midterm rally in Iowa. He had previously promised to travel to the competitive midterm battleground races.

“We’re going to do a great rally, and we’ll all be there together,” he said. “We have to get you all elected.”

When asked about the polls showing the races are close, Trump called the surveys “fake.”

“I think the polls aren’t accurate because I won it by so much, and it doesn’t make sense that they wouldn’t be right up there with me,” he said.

He praised Hinson, saying she will be a “tremendous success as a senator.”

But Iowa Republicans have had to weigh just how much they want to tie themselves to Trump amid high costs due to the Iran war.

Miller-Meeks and fellow Iowa Rep. Zach Nunn were among the group of seven Republicans who voted with Democrats earlier this month to block the president from continuing with the Iran war without congressional approval.

Vice President Vance traveled to the Hawkeye state earlier this month. He was joined by GOP gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn.

Hinson opted to skip the event, with her campaign saying she had a scheduling conflict.