Republicans fret over Iowa as tough midterm races develop
Source: NBC News
May 5, 2026, 5:00 AM EDT / Updated May 5, 2026, 8:48 AM EDT
DES MOINES, Iowa — Vice President JD Vance lands here Tuesday in an effort to boost the re-election campaign of Rep. Zach Nunn — the latest development that underscores Republicans’ midterm jitters in a state that has moved to the right in recent years.
In Iowa’s race for governor, the GOP is dealing with a jumbled June 2 primary field while the presumptive Democratic nominee, State Auditor Rob Sand, coasts without opposition.
And in the battle for an open Senate seat, the main Republican-aligned Senate super PAC in Washington is preparing to pump nearly $30 million worth of advertising into a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the chamber in 18 years.
Vance’s appearance with Nunn, meanwhile, is connected to the GOP’s scramble to keep control of the House, where the party has a slim majority heading into this fall’s elections. Nunn’s is one of at least two Republican-held seats in Iowa that could flip to Democrats this fall.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/republicans-fret-iowa-tough-midterm-races-senate-governor-house-rcna343046