Thursday night, Joe Mitchell was far from home to take the stage in Sioux City with President Donald Trump and other Iowa politicians. The rally took place just two weeks from the election as Republicans hope to hold on to their seats in red states they once took for granted.
“Mr. President, you’ve won the state three times, and judging by this crowd, you’ll win it a fourth time if you ran again, okay? I think so,” Mitchell said, doing his best Trump impression. “Thank God you’re building the ballroom. Thank God you’re getting rid of those awful bike lanes, by the way. We don’t ride bicycles in Iowa. We ride Harley-Davidsons. Isn’t that true?”
Iowa is of course home to RAGBRAI, which bills itself as the oldest, largest, and longest recreational bicycle touring event in the world. This year’s ride ran July 18 to 25. While the ride is a big draw for cyclists across the world, it’s also well attended by many Iowa Republicans and Democrats alike, including Republican state Sen. Adrian Dickey of Packwood.
Mitchell told the crowd Trump has never been given the Nobel Peace Prize, “which is a disgrace.” Then he announced an honor of his own invention.
“It’s called the Man of the Century Award,” Mitchell said. He gave Trump a framed homemade certificate bearing the title.
“Thank you for being the greatest president we’ve ever had,” he said.
A business tie behind the stage
Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District is currently held by Republican US Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is vacating it to run for US Senate. But Mitchell and Hinson share more than the Thursday night stage. Hinson’s husband, Matt Arenholz, co-founded BAM Development LLC in 2021 with Mitchell and Michael Bousselot, according to American Journal News. Hinson’s latest financial disclosure lists her family’s stake in the company as valued at as much as $500,000, but the same disclosure reported no income from it.
Iowa Starting Line reported that both BAM Development LLC and Bousselot & Mitchell Company went on to develop housing projects that applied for, and received, Workforce Housing Tax Credits: a 16-unit development in Grinnell, a 30-unit development in Clear Lake, and a 20-unit development in Dyersville. The three projects received a combined $2,559,880 in credits.
Hinson goes after Turek
Hinson used her turn at the microphone to attack her Democratic opponent, state Rep. Josh Turek of Council Bluffs.
“We are going to make sure he doesn’t get that promotion,” Hinson said. “The president already said it, right, but Josh Turek is too liberal for Iowa.”
She called Turek a “tax and spend liberal.” Trump said Hinson has an A rating from the NRA and is “all that stands between the people of Iowa and communists controlling the United States Senate.”
Hinson faces Turek and Mitchell faces state Rep. Lindsay James on Nov. 3. Early voting is ongoing.
