‘The Kamala Harris problem’: Vance’s 2028 hopes hinge on Trump, Iowa Republicans say
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Vice President JD Vance was greeted warmly by Republicans in Iowa on Tuesday, with would-be caucus goers and strategists optimistically curious about his potential as a 2028 presidential contender. But first, they’re hoping he can help turn the economy around. Vance's fate is unavoidably linked to President Donald Trump's. He'll either carry the mantle of Trump’s accomplishments all the way into his own term in the White House — or be dragged down by Trump's dismal approval ratings, which have spiraled amid an unpopular war in Iran and voters' economic pessimism. During Vance’s first trip as vice president to the early caucus state — where he was campaigning for Republican Rep. Zach Nunn at a rally in a manufacturing warehouse in this battleground House district — Vance's close ties with Trump were on full display. He credited the president repeatedly for tariffs, tax cuts and agriculture industry aid. And he avoided any mention of 2028. But his association with Trump's agenda presents a high-risk, high-reward proposition that could make or break his political future, operatives and rallygoers said. “That's the risk of being part of an administration,” Iowa GOP strategist David Kochel said. “This is the Kamala Harris problem.” Rep. Randy Feenstra, who is running for governor, said in between shaking hands with attendees that Iowans “absolutely” associate Vance with Trump and expressed confidence that the White House can deliver outcomes that benefit the state. “We’re all in this together,” he said. “We trust Trump and the vice president and what they’re doing, and things are going to be great.” Republicans in Iowa are loath to turn their back on Trump, the 2024 caucus winner who remains deeply popular among the base. Faded Trump-Vance campaign signs still line the rural roads around the state, and Iowa Republicans said they remained largely optimistic that Trump, with Vance by his side, can steer the economy in the right direction. In a brief post