Vance contends with headwinds in Iowa

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White House Headlines - September 18, 2026

White House Headlines - September 18, 2026

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It’s Friday. An early g’mar chatima tovah to those fasting for Yom Kippur.  

Vance takes GOP midterm message to Iowa 

Trump boosts plan to lower drug costs 

RFK Jr. headlines anti-vaccine forum 

Iran war frustrations rise 

Programming note: Hello! We are Steff Danielle Thomas and Colin Meyn filling in for Cate. Please send your tips, comments and story ideas to sthomas@thehill.com or cmeyn@thehill.com.

One key Iowa Republican won’t be at Vance’s rally: 

© The Associated Press | Mark Schiefelbein

Rep. Ashley Hinson, the Iowa Republican locked in a tight Senate race, won’t be sharing the stage when Vice President Vance stumps in Council Bluffs this afternoon.  

Her campaign says she had previously scheduled events. This profile in The New York Times today points to another reason why her campaign isn’t eager to shift schedule: President Trump’s policies are not popular in the reliably red state.  

Hinson notably broke with Trump over his plan to import beef from South America to lower prices, a move that will hit cattle ranchers hard. Trump’s tariffs and inflation caused by the Iran war are also making life more difficult in the rural state. 

📺 Watch: Hinson’s latest campaign ad, focused on her bipartisan bona fides, gives a sense of the mood in Iowa.  

Zach Lahn, the GOP nominee for governor, is planning to join Vance — underlining the different approaches Republicans are taking to the Trump conundrum. Lahn is trailing his Democratic opponent, State Auditor Rob Sand, while Hinson has a slight edge in her race, according to most polls.  

Notable votes: Hinson isn’t the only Republican seeking to create some distance with the Trump administration.  

Two Iowa Republicans backed an Iran war powers resolution in the House this week, breaking from their past opposition to similar resolutions.  

Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn were among seven GOP members who joined Democrats in passing the resolution.  

“Iowa has already paid a devastating price, including two service members killed by an Iranian drone in Kuwait. Congress owes them, their families, and every American in uniform clear objectives and constitutional oversight,” Nunn wrote in a post on social platform........

© The Hill