Poisoned Water Is Giving Democrats an Opening in Iowa

Iowa has had a water pollution problem for a long time, but now it is getting harder to ignore. People across the state are angry and worried about the quality of their drinking water and the health risks it brings. Scientists and doctors have linked some farm chemicals to rising cancer rates in the state. This issue is now changing the way Iowa voters think — and the way candidates run for office.

Iowa's cancer rate has climbed well above the national average in recent years. The state now has the second-highest cancer rate in the whole country, and it is one of only three states where that rate is still going up. Scientists have linked a chemical called nitrates to cancers of the kidney, brain, and ovaries. Nitrates are found in the pesticides and fertilizers that farmers use, and they can wash off fields and into rivers and streams that people drink from.

Another chemical under the microscope is glyphosate. Glyphosate is the main ingredient in Roundup, the most widely used weed killer in the world. In 2015, a major international health agency said glyphosate was 'probably' able to cause cancer. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency disagrees and has not placed the same warning on it.

For a long time, politicians in Iowa avoided criticizing the farming industry, no matter which party they belonged to. Instead, they would say things like Iowa's farms 'feed the world' without talking about the problems. This year, things changed. Voters are furious, and candidates from both the Republican and Democratic parties are speaking out against big agriculture companies — and many of them are winning.

One big surprise came in the Republican primary for governor. A businessman and farmer named Zach Lahn beat the candidate that President Donald Trump had endorsed, a congressman named Randy Feenstra. Lahn won partly because he spoke openly about Iowa's water crisis and connected farm chemicals to the cancer problem. He was also the first candidate for statewide office in Iowa to be endorsed by MAHA Action, a group that supports Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again movement.

Democrats are also having a strong moment in Iowa. Democrat Josh Turek is running almost even with Republican Ashley Hinson in the race for a U.S. Senate seat. In the governor's race, Democratic candidate Rob Sand is just one percentage point behind Lahn in recent polls — close enough that either candidate could win. Political experts say Democrats have not been this competitive in Iowa statewide races in more than a decade.