Former Trump supporters sour on economy as Turek, Sand test whether Iowa democrats can win rural voters

Rural voters reconsider Trump

In New Hampton, school custodian Dave Roethler says he no longer recognizes the Trump he backed during the president’s first term. He praised Trump’s earlier performance but now believes middle-class families are bearing the economic strain, and plans to support Democrats next month.

Nearby residents Bill Stonecypher and Deb Thorne also described changing views. Stonecypher, who voted for Trump in 2016, says he will vote for Democrats across the ballot for the first time; Thorne backed Trump in 2024 but says he has not delivered on lowering costs.

Democrats target smaller losses

Chickasaw County was once a Democratic stronghold but moved sharply toward Republicans during the Trump era, part of a broader shift across the agricultural Midwest. Democrats hope that narrowing their losses in rural areas can make them more competitive in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Ohio.

Josh Turek, the Democrat seeking an Iowa U.S. Senate seat, says his party has misjudged the electoral math. He argues that winning rural counties is not the only path: Democrats need to reduce Republican margins there.

Iowa races draw attention

Democrats are campaigning for governor, Senate and several House seats in Iowa, including the 2nd Congressional District in the northeast, which had been viewed as reliably Republican. Tariffs are disrupting agriculture, while the war in Iran has pushed up gasoline costs; diesel is above $6 a gallon in Iowa.

Sand appeals beyond Democrats

Rob Sand, Iowa’s state auditor and Democratic candidate for governor, is reaching out to independents and Republicans dissatisfied with the party. At a gathering in St. Ansgar, he spoke about his rural upbringing and distanced himself from some national cultural disputes.

Republican county supervisor Jim Wherry said Sand has a strong chance, praising his attention to rural Iowa. Sand, who has won two statewide elections as auditor, says some voters who support both him and Trump share frustration with the political system.