Cancer crisis throws wild card into Iowa elections

In Iowa elections, cancer crisis looms large

Rising cancer rates and a potential link to farm pollution are causing a crisis in Iowa, throwing uncertainty into the midterm elections in the state that has shifted ruby red in recent years.

© Abel Uribe, Chicago Tribune, Tribune News Service via Getty Images file

Iowa suffers from the second-highest rate of new cancer cases in the U.S. and it’s one of the few states where the number of cancer cases are rising. Across the state, the cancer crisis has become a major campaign topic ahead of the midterm elections.

Candidates from both parties have made tackling the environmental causes of cancer—and blaming “Big Ag”— a key part of their platforms. It’s an attack that would have been unheard of from Republicans in the Corn Belt hub.

The state has a series of blockbuster races this year including the governor’s contest between Zach Lahn (R) and Rob Sand (D), the Senate race between Rep. Ashley Hinson (R) and state Rep. Josh Turek (D) as well as several competitive House seats.

Lahn, in an unusual move for a Republican, is embracing not only the cancer issue, but also vowing to clean the water and regulate chemicals if he’s elected.

These issues aren’t falling neatly along party lines and some Democrats are making the case that they’re best-suited to tackle the problem.

“This cancer issue is resonating with people and almost everyone has a story here of a family member or someone else that has met an early demise,” Democratic agriculture secretary candidate Chris Jones, who is emphasizing water quality in his campaign, told The Hill earlier this year.

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How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

A federal judge has opened an investigation into concerns that the Trump administration lied to her in the ongoing legal battle over President Trump’s desire to redevelop East Potomac Golf Links.

A key Democrat is looking into a massive amount of money that was appropriated to the National Science Foundation (NSF) but reportedly not spent.

Chances of severe weather are looming over certain regions across the U.S. next week, with the possibility of thunderstorms on Election Day potentially impacting voter turnout in key races.

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics :

Trump administration to spend $1.2M to remove D.C. golf course trees, records show ( The Washington Post )

ExxonMobil and Chevron report blowout profits as Trump touts benefits of high oil prices ( NBC News )

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

Election forecaster Sabato’s Crystal Ball moved the Senate races in Minnesota and Louisiana toward Democrats in the final days leading up to the Nov. 3 midterms. Read more

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is warning that Republicans could lose as many as eight Senate seats in the midterm election and get swept in all of the statewide Texas races, including the Senate contest between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico, if the GOP has a bad day on Nov. 3. Read more