Ashley Hinson’s Chances in Iowa Senate Race Amid Beef Backlash: Poll
The Trump-endorsed candidate faces a midterm test in cattle country after calling the president's new import policy a “bad idea.”
Ashley Hinson, the Republican candidate in Iowa's competitive Senate race, currently leads by five percentage points over her Democratic opponent, Josh Turek, according to a recent poll. This lead is significant as Hinson is distancing herself from President Donald Trump's controversial beef import policy, which she described as a "bad idea" at the Iowa State Fair.
The trade decision, announced on August 21, would allow up to 300,000 metric tons of beef to enter the country over 90 days, below the normal tariffs. However, cattle producers and the Iowa Cattlemen's Association have strongly opposed the measure, warning that it would depress domestic beef prices and hinder the rebuilding of the national herd.
In contrast to Hinson, Turek has also criticized the policy, referring to it as "another blow" to Iowa producers. Despite Trump's support for Hinson, the beef import policy remains a potential pressure point for voters, especially with the state's major cattle industry at stake. Currently, about 6 percent of Iowans support Hinson for U.S. Senate while backing Democrat Rob Sand for governor.
Trump's approval rating among rural voters in Iowa is underwater, and the state's political climate has shifted from being a battleground in the 2000s to a consistently red state under Trump's presidency. The latest Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media survey shows Hinson leading Turek by five points, 50 percent to 45 percent. However, Turek leads among independent voters, 46 percent to 44 percent.
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