Trump Heads to Iowa for Sioux City Rally as Republicans Fight to Hold Senate Seat and Governor’s Office

President Donald Trump heads to Iowa on Thursday to hold a rally in Sioux City, trying to steady Republicans in a state he won by 13 percentage points two years ago but where his weakened standing and voter anxiety over his policies have made the Nov. 3 midterm elections harder for the party.

Republicans are defending a Senate seat, three House districts and the governor’s office, giving Democrats an opening after years of Republican gains in the state.

The trip is part of Trump’s tour through states Republicans usually count on winning. He campaigned in Kansas on Monday for Republican Sen. Roger Marshall and traveled to South Carolina on Wednesday to support Republican Sen. Darline Graham. He is scheduled to return to Iowa on Nov. 1, two days before Election Day.

The Iran war hangs over the race

Some of the Republicans Trump is trying to help have broken with him over the war with Iran, as higher fuel and grocery prices deepen voters’ worries about the cost of living.

Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, in a close Senate race against Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek, has called for an “immediate end” to the war, saying Iowans should not have to pay higher fuel or grocery prices because of it. Republican Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn, both facing difficult reelection fights, joined Democrats last month in voting to limit Trump’s war powers in Iran.

Democrat Rob Sand leads Republican Zach Lahn in recent polling for governor, while Democrats are targeting an open House seat in Iowa’s second congressional district.

Polls show a president under pressure

A Marist poll this month found 42 percent of likely voters said their finances had worsened over the past year, including more than half of independents. Thirty-five percent viewed their vote as a vote against Trump, versus 21 percent who saw it as a vote for him.

Trump is trying to turn out supporters who back him in presidential contests but may stay home when he is not on the ballot, urging them to vote as though he were running. His approval rating has fallen to 31 percent, the lowest of either presidential term, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday, and 68 percent of Americans disapproved of his handling of the economy.

At recent rallies, his economic message has largely avoided the financial pressures facing many Americans. The Iran war has driven up gas prices, adding to broader cost-of-living concerns, while Trump has repeatedly promised prices will fall when the conflict ends.

Behind the scenes, Trump has questioned campaign spending, criticized redistricting efforts and second-guessed candidate choices, according to people familiar with the matter. White House spokesman Davis Ingle rejected those characterizations, calling them “armchair experts peddling their baseless speculation.” Trump has publicly noted the tendency of a president’s party to lose seats in midterm elections.

Reporting based on coverage by Reuters.