Iowa Politics with Jeff Stein -- Wed. Aug. 19, 2026

See you at the fair.

I'm Jeff Stein with today's Iowa Politics Report.

Well, I won't see you there.

I am not able to attend, but...

They could almost hold a Trump administration cabinet meeting at the fairgrounds this year, given the number of officials who made Des Moines their office for a day or more this cycle.

In no particular order, there was War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, U.S.

Trade Representative Jameson Greer, Small Business Administration

Strater Kelly Leffler, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant, plus NATO Ambassador and Iowa native Matt Whitaker, Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruders, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

And there are probably more I missed.

I've checked and while it's not as good as at the Iowa State Fair, there is food on a stick available elsewhere across the country, so these folks are not coming here just for that.

Democrats say it's because Republicans on the November ballot are in trouble here in Iowa, but those kinds of names were here last year as well.

And there have been plenty of high-profile Democrats who have made their way to our fair.

Although, given the rough time Senator Mark Kelly got the other day, they might think twice, especially since the Democratic National Committee thumbed its nose at Iowa last week regarding 2028.

The visits by so many high-profile Republicans show just how important Iowa is to the success of the GOP nationally.

Yes, with statewide races, yes with congressional races, but also as a bellwether for the heartland of the country.

Showing Iowans that they aren't forgotten by folks in D.C.

what with the problems on the farm and high gas and grocery prices, that does matter.

Oh, and Iowa is still the first in the nation GOP caucus state.

That might play a role in the travel plans as well.

And that's the Iowa Politics Report for Wednesday, August 19 on Twitter, Instagram, Gitter, Threads and Truth Social at Iowa Politics.

I'm Jeff Stein on News Talk 1540, KXEL.