The Iowa State Fair has long served as a crucial stop for presidential hopefuls and political advocates using the all-American gathering to connect with voters in an informal, relaxed setting. The tradition dates back to the early 20th century, but it became more significant after the Iowa Caucuses became the first major nominating contest in the nation. The fair's famous "soapbox" stage provides an opportunity for candidates to address crowds and generate media attention, making it an essential part of any campaign's strategy in the state.
Erik Wasson of Bloomberg reports that Representative Zach Nunn (R-IA-03) is utilizing the fair for political purposes. Nunn is one of the nation's most vulnerable incumbents and plans to use the state fair as a backdrop to make his case for re-election. Economic issues like Trump's tariff disputes with countries that buy much of Iowa's agricultural products will be top of mind for voters who will decide his fate.
Trump's trade policies and threatened high tariffs on Chinese imports have prompted Chinese buyers to look elsewhere for agricultural products, particularly soybeans from Brazil. Iowa is the nation's second-largest producer of soybeans, after Illinois.
Staged and scripted fair appearances have another upside: they put politicians in front of constituents while allowing them to avoid town halls, which have become fraught for Republicans who have been confronted by constituents angry about healthcare cuts and other policy changes.
Candidates on both sides admit the state of Iowa's economy will probably be the most important factor in the midterms, and that could ultimately determine which party controls the House.
-Marc
A11.
I am launching a 5x-a-week newsletter focused on globalization and American politics.
I will provide insights and ideas, plus recommended articles to read, podcasts to listen to, and panel discussions to watch.
Before the formal launch on Monday, September 8, I am looking for beta testers who can access the newsletter in advance as a soft opening.
A11 will cover global business issues at the intersection of globalization, disruption, and politics, and the newsletter will help readers navigate today's interconnected geopolitical business environment.
Paid subscriptions will be available for entrepreneurs, executives, and enterprises.
If you want to be a beta tester, drop me an email at marc@caracal.global or send a DM on whatever platform we're connected on.
Enjoy the ride + Plan accordingly.
-Marc
Ross Rant: 2025 NFL Mock Draft | First Round
"This is the inside scoop on the private conversations between General Managers and potential first-round draft picks."
1. Tennessee Titans: "Nashville is known for hot chicken, but our offensive line protection is even spicier. Hope you're good at scrambling."
2. Cleveland Browns: "We've had more starting quarterbacks than the city has had mayors. You'll be in the Hall of Fame... of Cleveland QB jerseys on some fan's wall."
3. New York Giants: "Your agent mentioned you wanted 'bright lights, big city.' Just to clarify, you know we play in New Jersey, right?"
4. New England Patriots: "We still expect you to win six Super Bowls. No pressure."
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: "Jacksonville... This city is so spread out. People joke it's several suburbs pretending to be a city."
6. Las Vegas Raiders: "The over/under on how many head coaches you'll play for during your rookie contract is 3.5."
7. New York Jets: "Broadway Joe guaranteed a Super Bowl win once. We've been riding that high for 56 years."
8. Carolina Panthers: "Charlotte's banking industry is booming. Good news, you'll need somewhere to deposit all that money you'll earn while we rebuild... again."
9. New Orleans Saints: "Hope you like beads because that's all the hardware you'll be collecting for a while."
10. Chicago Bears: "We've had one good quarterback in the last century. No pressure, but the city hopes you're the second."
11. San Francisco 49ers: "Housing in the Bay Area starts at $3,000 per square foot. Fortunately, we can offer you a lovely practice facility closet."
12. Dallas Cowboys: "America's Team hasn't been to a conference championship in nearly 30 years, but don't tell Jerry that."
13. Miami Dolphins: "Hurricane season and football season overlap perfectly here. You'll get used to both kinds of pressure systems."
14. Indianapolis Colts: "The Indy 500 isn't the only thing that goes around in circles here. Our quarterback carousel is giving it competition."
15. Atlanta Falcons: "28-3. Never mention those numbers in sequence, and you'll be fine."
16. Arizona Cardinals: "It's a dry heat, like our championship drought."
17. Cincinnati Bengals: "We're the second most popular team in Ohio, but hey, at least we're not the Browns."
18. Seattle Seahawks: "We'll give you earplugs for the home games. The 12th Man is great until you're trying to call an audible."
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: "Tom Brady was here. We'll remind you of this daily for the next decade."
20. Denver Broncos: "The altitude makes the ball fly farther. Sadly, it doesn't help our quarterbacks' accuracy."
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: "We've had exactly three head coaches since the Nixon administration. Job security isn't our problem - living up to the legacy is yours."
22. Los Angeles Chargers: "We technically have fans. They all live in San Diego and refuse to drive to see us."
23. Green Bay Packers: "The team is publicly owned, so instead of one demanding owner, you'll have 538,967 of them."
24. Minnesota Vikings: "Our playoff misery is so consistent, it's almost impressive. You'll fit right in!"
25. Houston Texans: "Everything's bigger in Texas, especially our expectations."
26. Los Angeles Rams: "Hollywood loves a sequel. We're hoping you'll be the sequel to our Super Bowl run, not the sequel to our salary cap disasters."
27. Baltimore Ravens: "The city has Edgar Allan Poe. We have a tough defense. Both will haunt your nightmares."
28. Detroit Lions: "We've never been to the Super Bowl. You could become the biggest legend in franchise history by just getting us to the big game."
29. Washington Commanders: "We've changed our name, colors, and owner. Now we need to change our losing record."
30. Buffalo Bills: "Table-smashing isn't in your contract but is expected."
31. Kansas City Chiefs: "Hope you like barbecue because you'll be eating a lot of it while watching Mahomes get all the glory."
32. Philadelphia Eagles: "The fans once booed Santa Claus. Your bad games will be treated much worse."
Enjoy the ride + Plan accordingly.
PS: Go Detroit Lions!