Iowa has become tricky territory for GOP in midterm election homestretch

Iowa Republicans are being presented with the difficult choice of embracing President Trump in the final stretch of the midterms as Democrats seek to tie them to the administration.

The dynamic was on full display in Council Bluffs on Friday, when Iowa gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn joined Vice President Vance on the campaign trail, but Republican Senate candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson opted to skip the event.

Hawkeye State Republicans are acutely aware of the risks of siding with the administration on issues like the Iran war.

Iowa Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) and Zach Nunn (R) were among a group of seven House Republicans who voted with Democrats this week to block Trump from continuing the Iran war without approval from Congress.

All eyes were on the state’s Republican gubernatorial and Senate campaigns Friday with the vice president in town.

Hinson’s campaign cited scheduling conflicts ahead of the rally, but Vance still gave her a shoutout at the beginning of the event.

“I know she couldn’t be here today, but are we going to elect Ashley Hinson for United States Senator from the great state of Iowa?” Vance said, eliciting applause from the crowd.

Vance went on to tout Lahn’s candidacy before launching into a roughly seven-minute attack on Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand.

“The choice is this simple. It’s common sense versus crazy. It’s a man who listens to you versus a man who looks down on you. It’s a governor who fights for you versus a governor who fights against you,” Vance said.

“You have an opportunity to send not........

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