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2026 Elections

WATCH: America 250 kicks off in Iowa. Will Trump plays GOP Kingmaker? (PT 2) – Cornhole Champions #31

President Donald Trump returns to Iowa this week for a July 4th America 250 celebration at the state fairgrounds - but this isn't the "Great American State Fair" he promised during his 2023 campaign.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amy Rivers, and Avery Staker break down Trump's Iowa return and what it means for 2026 politics.

Toss some bags about Iowa rolling back civil rights protections for trans Iowans… officials debunk water safety rumors amid the ongoing nitrate crisis... and a conversation with Christina Bohannan.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

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*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 - Trump Returns to Iowa - July 3rd State Fairgrounds Rally for America 250
02:00 - Broken Campaign Promises - The "Great American State Fair" That Never Was
02:30 - 50-State Tour Abandoned - Mexico Wall-Level Promise Keeping
06:00 - 2026 Stage Sharing Speculation - Who Gets Trump's Blessing?
07:00 - Regina George GOP Politics - Mean Girls Fascism Edition

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2026 Elections - Iowa Starting Line

WATCH: Woman who confronted Joni Ernst at town hall reacts to viral response

At a Parkersburg town hall, Senator Joni Ernst faced fierce pushback as she defended the Trump Administration's cuts to Medicaid. India May was in the audience when she shouted at Ernst that "people will die" if kicked off Medicaid. Ernst responded, "Well, we all are going to die." The exchange went viral and prompted an equally tone-deaf apology video from Ernst the next day.

On the latest episode of Cornhole Champions, Amie sat down with May to talk Ernst's response, Iowa's health care crisis, and May's campaign for Iowa House in 2026.

Watch the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsJtzmNlfbo&t=3s

2026 Elections - Iowa Starting Line
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