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CLOSE UP AFTER SERVING TWO TERMS IN THE U.S. SENATE, SENATOR JONI ERNST WILL NOT BE RUNNING FOR REELECTION AFTER A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRAYER AND REFLECTION. I WILL NOT BE SEEKING REELECTION IN 2026. WE LOOK AT THE WORK THAT SHE’S ACCOMPLISHED, THE LEGACY SHE LEAVES BEHIND, AND THE OTHER IOWA REPUBLICAN WHO WAS QUICK TO JUMP INTO THE RACE AFTER SENATOR ERNST’S ANNOUNCEMENT, THE AMERICA FIRST AGENDA. IT WORKS. AND THERE’S A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO. I’VE DONE. REPRESENTATIVE ASHLEY HINSON SAYS SHE’S READY TO BE PRESIDENT TRUMP’S STRONGEST ALLY IN THE U.S. SENATE. THE EXPERIENCE SHE BRINGS WITH HER AND THE DOMINO EFFECT HER DECISION HAS ON IOWA’S POLITICAL LANDSCAPE. I HAVE ONE WORD THAT I THINK DESCRIBES OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM TODAY BROKEN. PLUS, IT’S WHEELS UP FOR ROB SAND. I FOLLOW ALONG HIS SWING THROUGH FIVE IOWA COUNTIES IN A SINGLE DAY OF CAMPAIGNING. WHY? SAND IS CRISSCROSSING THE STATE 14 MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION, AND THE DIFFERENT APPROACH HE’S TAKING IN THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS ����vlog EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER. WELL, THIS WEEK WE SAW SO MUCH CHANGE IN IOWA POLITICS ALL IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS. AND A REMINDER, WE’RE STILL MORE THAN A YEAR AWAY FROM THE 2026 ELECTION. WE OFFICIALLY LEARNED SENATOR JONI ERNST IS NOT SEEKING REELECTION. AND THEN JUST HOURS LATER, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSWOMAN ASHLEY HINSON ANNOUNCED SHE’S RUNNING FOR ERNST’S SEAT. LAUNCHING HER CAMPAIGN FOR THE U.S. SENATE, CONGRESSWOMAN ASHLEY HINSON MADE CLEAR SHE PLANS TO BE ONE OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S CLOSEST ALLIES IN WASHINGTON. I JUST LAUNCHED MY CAMPAIGN FOR THE SENATE TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE PRESIDENT TRUMP AND TO FINISH WHAT WE STARTED IN POSTS TO THE PLATFORM X, HINSON ALSO MENTIONS ISSUES LIKE BORDER SECURITY AND TAX CUTS ISSUES. SHE SUCCESSFULLY CAMPAIGNED ON IN 2024. SHE ALSO SAYS SHE’S, QUOTE, IN THIS FIGHT BECAUSE SHE’S A MOM FIRST AND FOREMOST. I’M A MINIVAN DRIVING MOM FROM MARION, IOWA. HINSON’S FAMILY WAS ALSO FRONT AND CENTER IN HER REELECTION CAMPAIGNS TO THE U.S. HOUSE. I BELIEVE AS A MOM WITH A MINIVAN AND A MORTGAGE THAT IOWA FAMILIES NEED TO HAVE THEIR STORY TOLD IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WHEN HINSON WAS FIRST ELECTED TO CONGRESS IN 2020, SHE FLIPPED THE NORTHEAST IOWA SEAT FROM BLUE TO RED. SHE WON REELECTION IN 2022, IN A NEWLY REDRAWN DISTRICT AND DEFEATED DEMOCRAT SARAH CORKERY IN LAST YEAR’S ELECTION BY MORE THAN 15 PERCENTAGE POINTS, WITH SENATOR JONI ERNST OFFICIALLY NOT SEEKING REELECTION. IOWA’S U.S. SENATE RACE IS NOW WIDE OPEN RIGHT NOW. ASHLEY HINSON FACES TWO OTHER REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FOR HER PARTY’S NOMINATION FORMER STATE SENATOR JIM CARLIN AND VETERAN JOSHUA SMITH. AND THERE IS ALREADY A CROWDED DEMOCRATIC FIELD. FIVE DEMOCRATS IN THE RACE FORMER STATE SENATOR BOB KRAUSE, DES MOINES SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR JACKIE NORRIS, FORMER KNOXVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT NATHAN SAGE, STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOSH TUREK AND STATE SENATOR ZACH WAHLS. WHILE SENATOR ERNST IS NOT RUNNING FOR A THIRD TERM, IOWA REPUBLICANS SAY SHE’LL LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY IN THE U.S. SENATE IN 2014 AS AN IOWA STATE SENATOR, JONI ERNST MADE A SPLASH, FLIPPING A SEAT THAT HAD BEEN BLUE FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS. WELL, IOWA, WE DID IT. BUT AFTER TWO TERMS ON CAPITOL HILL, ERNST IS STEPPING ASIDE. I WILL NOT BE SEEKING REELECTION IN 2026. SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY, WHO HAS SERVED IN THE U.S. SENATE FOR 44 YEARS, THANKED ERNST FOR HER SERVICE. IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY SERVING WITH HER AND SERVING IOWANS SINCE 2015. HIGHLIGHTING THE TRAILS SHE BLAZED AS THE SENATE’S FIRST FEMALE COMBAT VETERAN AND IOWA’S FIRST WOMAN ELECTED TO CONGRESS. SHE BROKE BARRIERS AT EVERY TURN. SENATOR ERNST QUICKLY CLIMBED THE RANKS IN HER PARTY, AND AS A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE, SAYS SHE’S ACCOMPLISHED HER GOALS IN WASHINGTON. WE’VE CUT WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND REINED IN OVERBURDENSOME RULES AND REGULATIONS. ERNST ALSO FACED HER SHARE OF CRITICISM IN RECENT YEARS FOR HER INITIAL HESITANCY, AND THEN EVENTUAL SUPPORT OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH. SHE THEN SPARKED OUTRAGE IN MAY FOR HER RESPONSE TO A CONSTITUENT AT A TOWN HALL WHO VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT MEDICAID CUTS HURTING HEALTH CARE COVERAGE. THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE, SO THEY WILL BE COMING OFF. SO WE PEOPLE ARE NOT WELL, WE ALL ARE GOING TO DIE. SO WE’RE DOING THINGS. REPUBLICAN DAVID ALLEMAN, WHO WORKED WITH ERNST ON HER FIRST U.S. SENATE CAMPAIGN, TOLD ����vlog SHE’LL BE REMEMBERED FOR HER YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND BEING TRUE TO HER CONVICTIONS, SHE’S HONORING HER PLEDGE, SHE SAID IN 2014 THAT SHE WOULD SERVE TWO TERMS AND MOVE ON, AND THAT’S WHAT SHE’S DOING. WELL, THERE’S A LOT TO UNPACK FROM LAST WEEK AND TO HELP US BREAK IT ALL DOWN, I’M JOINED BY REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST TYLER CAMPBELL AND DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST JEFF LINK. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. WELL, JEFF, LET’S START WITH YOU. HOW DOES THIS ALL CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF IOWA’S U.S. SENATE? RACE? CHANGES EVERYTHING. HAVING AN OPEN SEAT IN A SENATE RACE VERSUS HAVING AN INCUMBENT RUNNING FOR REELECTION IS NIGHT AND DAY. AND FOR DEMOCRATS WHO HAVEN’T HAD THE MOST LUCK IN IN ELECTIONS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE NEED CHANGE. WE DON’T NEED MORE OF THE SAME. SO THIS IS GREAT NEWS FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR SENATE. USUALLY AN OPEN SEAT CAN MAKE THINGS MORE COMPETITIVE. SOME PEOPLE SAY HINSON MAY BE A STRONGER CANDIDATE THAN YOU KNOW ERNST, WITH SOME OF THE THE RECENT CRITICISM SHE’S FACED. TYLER, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS SEAT NOW BEING OPEN? SURE. SO FIRST, WHAT I’M HEARING AND WHAT I THINK EXCITES REPUBLICANS AND VOTERS ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT ASHLEY HINSON IS, YOU KNOW, HER ENERGY THAT SHE BRINGS HER CONSERVATIVE TRACK RECORD, HER FUNDRAISING PROWESS. AND, YOU KNOW, SHE’S JUST SHE’S JUST BEEN A WINNER. WHEN WE TAKE A STEP BACK AND WE LOOK AT RECENT ELECTIONS HERE IN IOWA, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER PRESIDENT TRUMP WON IOWA BY TEN POINTS. AND SO I WOULD STILL, EVEN THOUGH IT’S AN OPEN SEAT, I WOULD STILL CAST THIS AS A LEAN, SOLIDLY LEAN REPUBLICAN SEAT. THAT DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY IS GOING TO BE REALLY INTERESTING WITH US. LOOKS LIKE SOME VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, OF COURSE. BUT I THINK FROM ALL ACCOUNTS, ASHLEY HINSON IS ALREADY HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING. I THINK SHE’S HERE IN DES MOINES DOING AN EVENT TODAY, AND WILL BE KIND OF BARNSTORMING THE STATE ALREADY. AND SHE HAS SUCCESSFULLY WON IN HER REELECTION CAMPAIGNS TO THE US HOUSE. BUT THAT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A POCKET OF THE STATE. WHAT DOES IT CHANGE FOR HER TO HAVE TO WIN STATEWIDE AND MAYBE PLACES THAT DON’T KNOW HER AS WELL? YEAH. SO FIRST OF ALL, IN A STATE LIKE IOWA, WHERE PEOPLE EXPECT TO SEE YOU, SEE YOU. WE’RE A LITTLE SPOILED HERE IN IOWA WITH THE CAUCUSES COMING AROUND. YOU HAVE TO GET OUT TO ALMOST EVERY COUNTY. YOU HAVE TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE. YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE COFFEE SHOPS. YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE LOCAL EVENTS, LOCAL CHAMBERS AND REALLY LISTEN TO PEOPLE. AND SO EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW ABOUT CONGRESSWOMAN HINSON, I KNOW ABOUT HER TRACK RECORD. I THINK SHE’S THEY PLAN ON DOING THAT IN EARNEST. THEY’LL GET OUT TO ALL THE COUNTIES AROUND THE STATE, AND YOU REALLY JUST HAVE TO KIND OF REPLICATE, YOU KNOW, HER STRONG TRACK RECORD IN THE SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AND MULTIPLY THAT TIMES FOUR RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, SHE SAID. I WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, A STRONG ALLY TO PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THE US SENATE. YOU KNOW, HOW HOW ARE DEMOCRATS? YOU KNOW, RECALIBRATING TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST HINSON? WELL, THE LAST TIME THIS SEAT WAS OPEN WAS 2014, AND YOU DIDN’T HEAR JONI ERNST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AN ALLEGIANCE TO SOMEBODY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., OR HOW SHE’S GOING TO BE THE CLOSEST ALLY TO SOMEBODY WORKING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. SHE TALKED ABOUT BEING AN IOWAN AND MAKING THE PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. SQUEAL. I THINK HINSON ACTUALLY IS MISSED. THE WHOLE LESSON OF JONI ERNST SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN BY TALKING ABOUT HOW SHE’S NOT ONLY, LIKE, SUCH A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR TRUMP, BUT THAT SHE WANTS TO BE THE STRONGEST SUPPORTER OF TRUMP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. I THINK IOWANS WANT TO KNOW WHO’S GOING TO BE THE STRONGEST SUPPORTER OF IOWANS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., NOT THE STRONGEST SUPPORTER OF ANOTHER POLITICIAN. AND THERE IS STILL 14 MONTHS TILL THE ELECTION. SO THERE’S A LOT LEFT TO SEE. BUT THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE KIND OF A REFERENDUM ON TRUMP. YOU KNOW, IF THE CANDIDATES STILL ATTACH THEMSELVES TO HIM BECAUSE HE DID WIN BY BY DOUBLE DIGITS. AS TYLER MENTIONED IN 2024, DO IOWA VOTERS STILL FEEL THAT WAY IN 2026? RIGHT. AND HE HAD A BAD MIDTERM AFTER HIS AFTER HIS FIRST ELECTION IN 2016. 2018 WAS NOT A GOOD YEAR FOR REPUBLICANS. IT’S KIND OF SHAPING UP TO BE A SIMILAR SCENARIO WITH TRUMP NOT BEING ON THE BALLOT. BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE UNPOPULAR ECONOMIC POLICIES, THE TARIFFS, THE, THE, THE, THE DRAG ON THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY IN PARTICULAR, I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE A REAL BURDEN FOR HINSON TO CARRY, WHICH IS WHY IT’S SURPRISING THAT SHE’S GOING TO HITCH HER WAGON TO TRUMP SO CLOSELY. YEAH. ONE THING I’LL MENTION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT POPULARITY IN JULY, A COUPLE POLLS CAME OUT THAT NOTED THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AS IS AT AN ALL TIME HISTORIC LOW IN TERMS OF POPULARITY NATIONALLY HERE IN IOWA. BACK IN 2018, THE LAST TRUMP MIDTERM, THE REGISTRATION ADVANTAGE BY REPUBLICANS WAS AROUND 12,000. IN SEPTEMBER 2018. NOW, AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST OF THIS MONTH, THAT ADVANTAGE IS CLOSER TO 200,000. AND SO I THINK THAT JUST THE OVERALL FUNDAMENTALS IN IOWA HAS SHIFTED MORE REPUBLICAN. AND SO I THINK THAT CONGRESSWOMAN HINSON HAS A STRONG OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD ON THESE SUCCESSES THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE HAD THE LAST COUPLE ELECTIONS HERE. WELL, OUR CONVERSATION WILL CONTINUE RIGHT AFTER THIS BREAK. STAY WITH US. CONGRESSWOMAN ASHLEY HINSON IS NOW RUNNING FOR THE U.S. SENATE IN 2026. AND THAT LEAVES HER SEAT IN IOWA’S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT UP FOR GRABS. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE FOUR DEMOCRATS IN THE RACE TO REPRESENT IOWA’S SECOND DISTRICT. KATHY COULTER, LINDSEY JAMES, DON PRIMUS AND CLINT BALL. WITH NO TERM LIMITS AND NO INCUMBENT RUNNING IN 2026, TERM LIMITS FOR GOVERNOR. THIS ONE DOES HAVE SOME TERM LIMITS, BUT THIS IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING RACE. TYLER. WE SEE SOME DEMOCRATS ALREADY ON THE BALLOT. WHAT REPUBLICANS MIGHT BE CONSIDERING THIS OPENING. YEAH. SO AS OF THIS WEEK, THERE’S A COUPLE MEMBERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED INTEREST, INCLUDING STATE REPRESENTATIVE SHANNON LUNDGREN AND THEN CHARLIE MCCLINTOCK FROM KIND OF RURAL LINN COUNTY, A FEW OTHER NAMES THAT WE’VE BEEN HEARING. FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR JOE MITCHELL, WHO HAS BEEN WHO HAS BEEN LIVING UP IN THE DISTRICT IN THE CLEAR LAKE AREA AND HAS BEEN RECENTLY SERVING IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, IS EXPRESSING SOME STRONG INTEREST. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE’S ALWAYS FORMER CONGRESSMAN ROD BLUM, WHO HAS BEEN MAKING A LITTLE NOISE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL. THERE. JEFF, THIS HAS BEEN A DISTRICT THAT NOW THE THE D TRIPLE C IS TARGETING. IT’S BEEN ONE THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE WON PRETTY HANDILY IN RECENT YEARS. WHAT ARE DEMOCRATS THINKING ABOUT THIS. WELL, AGAIN, LIKE THE SENATE RACE, IF YOU HAD AN INCUMBENT RUNNING IN THIS RACE NATIONALLY, DEMOCRATS PROBABLY WOULDN’T BE THAT INTERESTED IN A RACE. IT’S PROBABLY THE THIRD BEST DISTRICT FOR DEMOCRATS IN IOWA, AFTER THE CENTRAL IOWA DISTRICT IN THE SOUTHEAST IOWA DISTRICT. BUT NOW THAT IT’S OPEN, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. AND I THINK WE’LL SORT OUT THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY. WE’LL FIND OUT WHO THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE IS BY NEXT JUNE, AND THEN WE’LL WE’LL HAVE A REALLY GOOD CONTEST UP THERE. WELL, A LOT MORE TO TALK ABOUT AS WE GET CLOSER TO 2026. BUT FIRST, WHEN WE COME BACK, WE TURN TO IOWA’S RACE FOR GOVERNOR. WE RIGHT ALONG WITH DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE ROB SAND TO SEE WHAT HE’S TELLING VOTERS ON HIS 100 TOWN HALL TOUR AND HOW IOWANS ARE REACTING. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY 20 YEARS, IOWA VOTERS WILL CHOOSE A NEW GOVERNOR WITHOUT AN INCUMBENT ON THE BALLOT. REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE ANNOUNCED CAMPAIGN SO FAR INCLUDE STATE REPRESENTATIVE EDDIE ANDREWS, FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE BRAD SHERMAN AND FORMER DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR ADAM STEIN, STATE SENATOR MIKE BUSTILLO AND FOURTH DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN RANDY FEENSTRA ARE ALSO CONSIDERING CAMPAIGNS ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE. STATE AUDITOR ROB SAND AND LONGTIME POLITICAL ADVISER JULIE STOUT ARE RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR. AMES RESIDENT SANDRA WILSON IS RUNNING AS A NO PARTY CANDIDATE. NOW, AGAIN, THIS ELECTION IS MORE THAN A YEAR AWAY, BUT CANDIDATES ARE ALREADY ON THE TRAIL TRYING TO WIN OVER VOTERS. DEMOCRAT ROB SAND IS DOING THE IOWA STAPLE, THE 99 COUNTY TOUR. HE STARTED BACK IN JUNE IS NOW ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH. ON TUESDAY, I FOLLOWED HIM AS HE CAMPAIGNED ACROSS FIVE COUNTIES TO SEE WHO’S SHOWING UP AND HOW VOTERS ARE RESPONDING TO HIS MESSAGE. HERE FOR SPACIOUS SKIES. THE SAME SONG ECHOES THROUGH THE CLARION PUBLIC LIBRARY. WE ARE A DAKOTA CITY CHURCH. AND AMES BREWERY. I IS GREAT. THE KEY MAY BE DIFFERENT. CARNEY SEE, BUT THE TONE THE SAME. TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST BE UNITED. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO DO THAT. IT’S HOW ROB SAND STARTS EVERY STOP ON HIS 100 TOWN HALL TOUR THROUGH IOWA. A SHOW OF UNITY. AFTER SURVEYING THE CROWD. RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU’RE A REGISTERED REPUBLICAN HERE TODAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU’RE A REGISTERED INDEPENDENT VOTER HERE TODAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. SAND SAYS HE MEASURES HIS TOWN HALLS BY THE HANDS THAT GO UP, SOMETIMES 3 OR 4, SOMETIMES A DOZEN. THAT’S A GREAT MEASURE OF SUCCESS, BECAUSE THOSE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO TYPICALLY WOULDN’T FEEL WELCOME GOING TO A POLITICAL EVENT. I’M ASKING TO REPRESENT THE STATE OF IOWA. I SHOULD BE WILLING TO LISTEN TO THE WHOLE STATE OF IOWA. THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, I THINK, POLITICS AND PUBLIC SERVICE. THAT’S WHAT IT IS TO BE A GOVERNOR FOR ALL. IT’S ALL PART OF HIS MISSION TO PRESENT VOTERS WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT. HE STARTS HIS EVENTS NOT WITH HIS BIO, BUT WITH A SPEECH ABOUT REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. I WANT TO START WITH A REALLY SIMPLE IDEA. I HAVE ONE WORD THAT I THINK DESCRIBES OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM TODAY BROKEN. WE’RE STUCK WITH ONLY TWO CHOICES, NEITHER OF WHICH DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF SOLVING OUR PROBLEMS. WHY IS THAT? THE VERY FIRST THING THAT YOU WANT? PEOPLE WHO COME TO YOUR EVENT TO HEAR FROM YOU? BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST PAINFULLY OBVIOUS PIECE OF OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM, OUR POLITICAL CULTURE RIGHT NOW. AND NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT, RIGHT? EVERYBODY, THEY WANT TO SAY, OH, THIS IS THE OTHER SIDE’S FAULT. OH, IT’S THE OTHER SIDE’S FAULT. NO, IT’S THE WHOLE CULTURE. AND IF WE DON’T IDENTIFY THAT FROM THE WORD GO, THEN ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE’RE DOING IS JUST SORT OF PERPETUATING THAT DIVISION. WE NEED TO START SAYING, HOLD ON A SECOND. THIS SYSTEM IS MESSED UP AND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. THANKS FOR COMING. ON TUESDAY, HE TOOK THAT SAME MESSAGE TO FIVE DIFFERENT COUNTIES. VOTERS ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM SAY IT RESONATES. HE’S THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. I THINK HE HAS A NEW MESSAGE. A MORE INCLUSIVE MESSAGE. KIND OF TIRED OF THE RHETORIC IN THE SAME OLE, SAME OLE THAT’S COMING OUT OF DES MOINES. IT’S TIME FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. ON EVERY STOP, SAND TELLS THE CROWD THAT ONE PARTY CONTROL IN IOWA ISN’T WORKING. AN ECONOMY THAT IS IN 49TH PLACE IN AMERICA. PERSONAL INCOME GROWTH THAT IS IN 48TH PLACE IN AMERICA. A CANCER GROWTH RATE THAT IS NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTRY. WE ARE LITERALLY LOSING THE CONTESTS YOU WANT TO WIN AND WINNING THE CONTESTS YOU WANT TO LOSE. AND IT REMINDS ME OF ONE STORY THAT ALWAYS STUCK OUT TO ME IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. THE END OF HIS STUMP SPEECH SOUNDS ALMOST LIKE A SERMON. JESUS WENT TO THE TEMPLE AND HE SAW THE MONEY CHANGERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE, AND HE FLIPPED THEIR TABLES OVER. HE SAID, YOU BROOD OF VIPERS. THAT’S SORT OF HOW I FEEL ABOUT IOWA GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE SOME TABLES IN DES MOINES THAT NEED FLIPPING AND I WOULD USE. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR HELP WITH THAT. IN NOVEMBER OF 2020. SO. THAT LINE DREW LOUD APPLAUSE DURING HIS FINAL STOP TUESDAY AT A STORY COUNTY BREWERY WITH A CROWD OF ABOUT 300. MOST OF THEM DEMOCRATS. THE MOOD FELT HOPEFUL. I’M A LIFE LONG ISLAND. I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN IN IOWA, AND MY QUESTION IS, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE? BUT IN A STATE THAT DONALD TRUMP WON BY DOUBLE DIGITS LAST ELECTION, SAND FACES AN UPHILL BATTLE. OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE STATES WITH THAT ARE THAT HAVE GONE FOR TRUMP BY MUCH MORE THAN IOWA DID. KANSAS, KENTUCKY. THEY HAVE BOTH ELECTED AND REELECTED DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS. SO I DON’T I DON’T SEE THIS TASK AS HERCULEAN. IT’S A CHALLENGE. BUT I LIKE A CHALLENGE. SAND DOESN’T MAKE SWEEPING PROMISES. HE TELLS PEOPLE EVEN IF HE DOES WIN, HE’LL BE WORKING WITH A REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE, ONE THAT’S UNLIKELY TO GO FOR SOME OF THE REQUESTS FROM THE CROWD, LIKE REPEALING SCHOOL VOUCHERS OR PASSING GUN CONTROL. THE UPSIDE IS ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT. I’M GOING TO HAVE TO AGREE TO BALANCE. PEOPLE WHO THINK A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, WORKING TOGETHER, MAYBE THAT HELPS US COME UP WITH MORE WELL-ROUNDED SOLUTIONS. THE ELECTION IS STILL 14 MONTHS AWAY. WHY START THIS EARLY WITH AN 100 TOWN HALL TOUR? OUR MESSAGE IS VERY DIFFERENT. WE WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE MORE TIME TO HEAR THAT, BECAUSE WHAT WE’RE FINDING IS THAT WHEN THEY DO HEAR IT, PEOPLE KIND OF COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK IN SUPPORT OF IT. VOTERS SAY IT’S NOT TOO EARLY TO BE PAYING ATTENTION. TOO MANY TIMES WE END UP AT THE LAST MINUTE MAKING DECISIONS AND NOT HAVING THE FULL PICTURE. AND HE’S GETTING OUT THERE TO GIVE EVERYBODY THE FULL PICTURE OF WHERE HE’S STANDING. AND THAT’S WHAT WE NEED. HEY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE 2026 ELECTIONS WITH OUR DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST, JEFF LINK. REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST TYLER CAMPBELL. TYLER, I WANT TO START WITH YOU THERE. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF YOU KNOW, HOW SAND IS CAMPAIGNING RIGHT NOW. SURE. SO I THINK THERE’S A FEW REASONS WHY YOU KIND OF SENSE SOME OF THE THEMES THAT SOME OF THESE TOWN HALLS THAT HE’S DOING ARE MORE AKIN TO WHAT YOU MIGHT HEAR AT A REPUBLICAN EVENT. I GO BACK TO JUST THE FACT THAT DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT HAS JUST HEMORRHAGED, NOT JUST HERE IN IOWA, BUT NATIONALLY AS WELL. I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR SAND WHEN HE NEEDS TO START ROLLING OUT ACTUAL POLICIES. HE IS NOT IN A COMPETITIVE PRIMARY RIGHT NOW, WHICH I THINK IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE FOR A NEW CANDIDATE AS WELL. AND SO I THINK THAT THERE IS THAT IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR SAND TO NAVIGATE THE UNPOPULARITY OF HIS PARTY AND SOME OF THEIR PROPOSALS BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SO MANY 80, 20 ISSUES RIGHT NOW AND CARRYING THAT THROUGH ALL THE WAY THROUGH 2026. ONE THING I NOTICED, SO I WENT WITH HIM ON FIVE STOPS. THE CROWDS RANGED FROM 50 TO 7080. OBVIOUSLY IT WAS LARGER AT NIGHT IN STOREY COUNTY, BUT I MEAN, ON A WEEKDAY TO BRING OUT, YOU KNOW, 50 PEOPLE, A FEW OF THEM REPUBLICANS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT’S MEANINGFUL, OR IS IT TOO EARLY TO TELL? I THINK IT ABSOLUTELY IS MEANINGFUL. AND I THINK, TYLER, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A DIFFERENT WAY. IT’S REFRESHING. IT’S A DIFFERENT WAY OF CAMPAIGNING. IT’S A DIFFERENT WAY OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE ROLE OF A GOVERNOR IS. IT’S NOT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE USUAL PARTY POSITIONS AND THAT SORT OF THING. THAT’S NOT THAT’S NOT THE WAY HE’S GOING TO CAMPAIGN THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE RACE. AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR THAT. THEY’RE THEY’VE HEARD ENOUGH OF THE SOUNDBITES. THEY’VE HEARD ENOUGH OF THE KIND OF TIRED OLD, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THE DEMOCRAT SAYS. THIS IS WHAT THE REPUBLICAN SAYS. HE’S KIND OF BREAKING THAT WHOLE MOLD. AND I THINK THAT’S IMPORTANT IN A, IN A RACE LIKE THIS, IN A, IN A STATE THAT’S TRENDING REPUBLICAN. AND TYLER, HOW ARE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES THINKING ABOUT THIS RACE RIGHT NOW? SURE. SO THE CANDIDATES THAT I TALKED TO RIGHT NOW AND VARIOUS REPUBLICANS ACROSS THE STATE, I THINK ARE VERY CLEAR EYED, WHILE REPUBLICANS HAVE HAD SUCCESS LATELY, IN RECENT ELECTIONS, YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO BACK TOO FAR TO WHERE WE’VE BEEN A VERY PURPLE STATE HISTORICALLY, AND EVEN BACK INTO 2018, WHERE AND BEFORE, WHERE DEMOCRATS WON SEVERAL OF THE VERY CONTESTED CONGRESSIONAL SEATS HERE. SO FROM EVERYTHING I HEAR, REPUBLICANS ARE GEARED UP FOR A FIGHT. THEY KNOW IT’S GOING TO BE CLOSE. AND THEY’RE GETTING YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE A FEW MORE COMPETITIVE PRIMARIES ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE RIGHT NOW THAT IT’S GOING TO THEY’LL BE WORKING THEIR WAY OUT. BUT I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF SUCCESS ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, NO ONE’S TAKING THAT FOR GRANTED RIGHT NOW. AND THE STAKES ARE HIGH, RIGHT? BECAUSE IN THIS RACE, THERE’S NO, YOU KNOW, TERM LIMITS. SO WHOEVER GETS IN COULD POTENTIALLY STAY THERE FOR A LONG TIME. YEAH. AND I THINK JEFF AND I WERE TALKING EARLIER, THE LAST TIME THERE WAS AN OPEN GUBERNATORIAL RACE AND AN OPEN US SENATE RACE IN IOWA WAS 1968. SO HISTORIC. ABSOLUTELY. AND ONLY CHUCK GRASSLEY WAS AROUND THEN. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANKS. COMING UP NEXT, THE POLK COUNTY LEADER WHO ANNOUNCED HER RETIREMENT THIS WEEK, AND SOME OF THE BIG ACCOMPLISHMENTS SHE’S MADE OVER THE YEARS ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. LONGTIME POLK COUNTY SUPERVISOR ANGELA CONNOLLY IS NOT RUNNING FOR REELECTION. SHE ANNOUNCED HER RETIREMENT ON WEDNESDAY. FOR 25 YEARS, CONNOLLY HAS REPRESENTED POLK COUNTY’S FIFTH DISTRICT. THAT INCLUDES NORTH AND NORTHWESTERN DES MOINES, THE EAST VILLAGE AND PARTS OF DOWNTOWN. DURING HER TENURE, CONNOLLY HAS HELPED WITH SEVERAL MAJOR PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE IOWA EVENT CENTER AND LAURIDSEN SKATEPARK. SHE ALSO HELPED GUIDE THE COUNTY THROUGH MULTIPLE NATURAL DISASTERS. CONNOLLY’S TERM ENDS NEXT YEAR. IN 2026. THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. HAVE A GREAT DAY.