With a little over five months until the November 2026 general election, Republican speakers in Iowa are promoting what they describe as policy victories under President Donald Trump while arguing that Democratic proposals would raise costs. The pitch comes as Republicans also confront voter concerns about higher gas prices and an unpopular U.S. war in Iran, according to an NPR report from Iowa.
At the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s spring kickoff event at the Horizon Event Center near Des Moines, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told attendees that Republicans have delivered major accomplishments since Trump returned to office, citing “falling illegal immigration numbers,” “drastic reductions in crime rates,” and the passage of a sweeping bill with tax cuts and spending priorities, according to NPR.
Cruz also warned that Democrats are targeting Iowa politically.
“The Democrats have put a bull’s eye on the state of Iowa. They’re coming after Iowa. They want to turn Iowa blue,” Cruz said, according to the NPR transcript.
NPR reported the event drew about 1,100 people. The outlet also noted Iowa currently has a Republican governor, two Republican U.S. senators, and an all-Republican U.S. House delegation, while describing 2026 as a midterm year in which the party holding the White House often faces headwinds.
The NPR report said Republicans’ broader midterm message is shaped by pocketbook concerns—particularly affordability—and by foreign-policy fallout, including rising gas prices and the war in Iran. It also reported that in Iowa, tariff impacts and war-related costs have been felt in agriculture, including through higher fertilizer costs.
In addition to Cruz’s remarks, NPR highlighted comments from U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for an open U.S. Senate seat, and from Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann. NPR described intra-party competition in Iowa’s gubernatorial contest as another challenge for Republicans, with party officials emphasizing unity after the primary.
