Exclusive: Democrat on How Trump's Tariffs Could Reshape Key Iowa Race

Newsweek

3 hours ago

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Christina Bohannan, an Iowa Democrat making her third go at the battleground congressional seat held by GOP Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, told Newsweek in an interview that tariffs have emerged as a major issue for voters in the district.
Why It Matters
Bohannan came close to flipping Iowa's 1st Congressional District last year—losing by only 799 votes despite President Donald Trump carrying the district by more than eight percentage points against then Vice President Kamala Harris. The Iowa Democrat also ran in 2022.
Now, Bohannan is making her third go at the district in the 2026 midterms, when Democrats are hoping a 2018-style blue wave will carry them to victory in key races across the country. Democrats will need to win seats like this to retake control of the House of Representatives next November.
Trump's tariffs are likely to loom over key races next year, but the issue could be particularly important in the Hawkeye State. Trump says tariffs are necessary to bring back jobs to the U.S. and close the trade deficit. But exports of agricultural goods are a lifeline for farmers in states like Iowa.
On Thursday, the president said he signed a trade deal with China, but the full impact of how that deal may affect farmers remained unclear.
Bohannan emphasized tariffs as a key challenge facing Iowa in an interview with Newsweek, in which she discussed her campaign.
What to Know
Bohannan said she views tariffs as a "significant issue" facing Iowa.
"I've already talked to some farmers who are very worried about the effect of tariffs and the trade war with China," she said. "What we see is that China in the past has bought a lot of farm products from Iowa, and now China is seeking out other trading partners besides Iowa and besides the U.S., like Brazil for example."
The U.S. has landed in a trade war with China, which faced the highest tariffs under Trump's plan. This has affected farmers in the state, as China is the largest importer of soybeans from the U.S., importing more than $12 billion worth of the agricultural product in 2024. China has sought new trading partners, a move that could create economic uncertainty and losses for soybean farmers in states like Iowa.
Once the trade relationships with Iowa farmers have been "severed," they will be hard to restore, Bohannan warned.
Many residents in the district are also "already struggling to get by" due to the high cost-of-living, she said. Legislation supported by Republicans, such as Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" will only make those challenges worse, Bohannan said.
Miller-Meeks told KHQA, a news station based in Quincy, Illinois, that Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" will address concerns, adding that tariffs are used as a "negotiating tactic," and that manufacturers and small business owners have for years raised concerns about China's "egregious trade practices."
A poll that was published this week and released by the House Majority PAC showed Bohannan with an early lead over Miller-Meeks in the midterms, with 43 percent of voters supporting the Democrat and 39 percent backing the Republican. The poll surveyed 555 voters in the district from June 18-19, Politico reported.
Christina Bohannan, a Democrat running for an Iowa House seat, speaks during a press conference in Iowa City, Iowa on July 29, 2024.
Christina Bohannan, a Democrat running for an Iowa House seat, speaks during a press conference in Iowa City, Iowa on July 29, 2024.
Nick Rohlman/The Gazette via AP, File
Bohannan on How Democrats Can Win Back Rural Voters
Bohannan outperformed Harris by eight points in Iowa's 1st District—which includes areas like Davenport and Des Moines suburbs, as well as large swaths of rural areas in southeast Iowa.
The issue of winning back rural voters has been an existential question for the Democratic Party as they try to stop bleeding in Midwest and Great Lake states where their margins have diminished over the past decade. Iowa, which backed former President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 but has also backed Trump, is emblematic of that challenge.
Bohannan overperformed last year by cutting into GOP margins in some of the rural counties in the district. She told Newsweek that Democrats can win back rural voters by getting out and talk to them "where they are."
"That sounds simple, but the fact is that a lot of times, candidates don't take the time to go out to rural areas and small communities to connect with voters," she said. "They go to the bigger cities and do big events, but they don't take the time to really go to these communities and talk to people and listen to people."
She attributed those efforts to her performance in 2024.
"I actually spent time in these areas. I met with people to talk about what was happening in their public schools. What was happening with childcare and with water quality, and elder care in their communities," she said. "People got to know me and got to trust me. They understand that I come from a very small rural community just like theirs. My family had to make very hard decisions about filling prescriptions after my dad got sick and lost his insurance or putting food on the table."
What People Are Saying
National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokeswoman Emily Tuttle, in a statement after Bohannan announced her campaign: "When will Christina learn? Iowans have rejected her twice already, and now she has to run to the left to beat radical Bob Kraus and Bernie-bro Travis Terrell in the primary. There's no doubt whoever comes out of this liberal rat race will be sent packing when Iowans re-elect America First fighter Mariannette Miller-Meeks next fall."
Christina Bohannan told Newsweek: "One thing that's so interesting about Iowans is that we are fair minded, and we are willing to give people a chance regardless of political party if we believe that you're authentic, and you're willing to put Iowa first. So, in 2024, 33,000 people who voted for Donald Trump in this district also voted for me. I won two counties here that Trump won handily. What we see here is that Iowans really want somebody who is going to put Iowa first."
What Happens Next
The race is expected to be one of the most competitive of the 2026 midterms. Both the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball, two of the leading election forecasters, classify the race as a pure toss-up.
Bohannan and Miller-Meeks are also set to face off against other candidates in primaries scheduled to be held on June 2, 2026. The general election is set for November 3, 2026.