Hegseth to go to Iowa today to campaign for GOP candidates, sources say
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was scheduled to head to Iowa on Monday to give remarks, speak to veterans and campaign, sources told CBS News.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to travel to Iowa on Monday for campaign and speaking engagements, according to sources cited by CBS News. The visit is part of Republican efforts to protect their seats in Congress. Hegseth will campaign for Iowa's U.S. Representative Zach Nunn, a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, who was elected in 2023.
Nunn's seat is considered lean Republican, having narrowly won in 2024 with a 4-point margin. Hegseth will also appear at an event for Iowa's U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is facing a competitive race in the 1st District. Miller-Meeks, who has represented the district since 2021, is currently in a toss-up category according to the Cook Political Report, and is up against the same Democrat she faced in 2022 and 2024.
It is highly unusual for a current defense secretary to campaign for candidates, as previous secretaries rarely attended such events during their tenure. Hegseth recently visited South Carolina for a renaming ceremony of Joint Base Charleston to Joint Base Lindsey Graham, where Graham's sister, Sen. Darline Graham, attended. Earlier this year, Hegseth also supported Republican Ed Gallrein in a primary against Rep. Thomas Massie, who opposed the war in Iran and aid to Israel. Massie lost the primary.
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