Iowa is a hotbed in every election season, and that is the same in 2024. There are several factors in play for the candidates, but none bigger than the war in Gaza.
It’s not uncommon for incumbent presidents to have low approval ratings, but President Biden is a special case with the war in Gaza taking center stage. The White House is juggling the task of assessing the conflict and managing public perception of the United States’ involvement. As protests worldwide ensue with the demand of ceasefire, and ultimately the liberation of Palestine, the U.S. president is in a unique spot.
As the war continues and the number of casualties rise, Democrats in Iowa believe there is an over-emphasis on helping Israel in the struggle. In Clarke County, Iowa, the consensus was they were less than satisfied with the 81-year-old president’s stance on the matter.
“I think we’ve been a little too pro-Israel, and I think that hurts us,” Amy Johnson, an Iowa Democrat, told us. “It’s like a lot of the countries we’ve tried to step into. It’s not our place.”
Johnson, a 49-year-old pastor of the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church, made a comment that few Democrats have stated publicly. In fear of retribution, most Democrats remain silent or toe the party line on the matter. Johnson echoes a sentiment many true-blue voters have emphasized. In the conversation with members of the Iowa Democratic party, Johnson and Bruce Harris, Johnson’s 71-year-old counterpart, emphasized how difficult a situation the president is in.
Harris mentioned Michigan as Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) has been at the center of the conflict as Congress’ sole Palestinian American, who was censured for her stance. Harris, a doctor in dentistry from the University of Iowa, outlined the predicament Democrats find them in and pointed to something that divides Iowa voters with an election coming.
“It’s a lose situation, he’s going to lose no matter what. So what if he doesn’t take a strong enough stand against Israel? And then the Muslim population gets pissed off at him? And then he loses Michigan?” Harris said.
“And I think, again, I think Biden has said this, and it’s probably not taken hold, but they’re really trying to be hard on Hamas, and not the Palestinian people. I mean, every time they come out, they’re talking about how they’re talking to Israel about safe zones and moving civilian Palestinian people out of there,” Steve Sodders, former Iowa state senator said about the conflict. “This is a hard, far right group that’s been funded by Iran. And so, you know, maybe they’re not doing a good enough job of making that connection to Iran, and that this is actually a very small group, and we’re trying to protect as many Palestinians”.
The former mayor of Center City, Iowa also says the national party is in a difficult position because of public perception.
“So I don’t know what else they can do. It truly is kind of damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”
Sodders believes the Democrats are doing a lot to help the Palestinian people, but aren’t doing a good job of touting it. “That’s always been the Democrats bug a boo, but we want to be, I think, in general. And not that they [Biden administration] tell us everything, no administration tells us everything. And they all still play with the numbers, right?”
Sodders believes that often, Republicans control the narratives in the media.
“Fox News, or any of these already new stations that are just mouthpieces that the news goes through? I mean, it’s 24/7, and I don’t think the Biden administration gets that same thing, obviously, with CNN or, MSNBC, you know, they do it, but probably not, to the extent right? Not as well. But, again, what’s their strategy, it takes money to get paid ads for titles, but you get your message out. So it is about raising money and getting the message out. And some of that, too, goes back to the local Democrats, are Democrats in Iowa, they should be touting this all the time, they should be making sure that things are getting on the local airways, every time they democratic gets interviewed, it should be not only what are we doing here, but hey, listen, you know, my area got this much money from that infrastructure bill that Biden was able to get past that he created this many jobs.”
In a country with numerous cultures and communities, Biden has his hands full trying to appease all Americans. Like the war in Ukraine, polls show the average Democrat feels the U.S. government should not be allocating funds to Israel, thus directly contributing to the conflict.
Polling shows that Republicans are expected to win the state of Iowa again, with former President Donald Trump holding a commanding lead over the next closest candidate- Florida governor Ron DeSantis. As it pertains to foreign policy, Iowa Republicans seem to have complete faith that Trump would handle the situation in Gaza much better than President Joe Biden has.
“We’ve just presented a weak president and he doesn’t seem to have a handle on things,” Laurie Spencer, an Iowa Republican, said. “I just don’t think I just don’t think he was looking out for our interests.”
Spencer, 64, is a retired X-Ray technician who believes Trump’s ability to “get things done” makes him the obvious choice. “I don’t necessarily like his personality, but I like what he got done in his presidency as far as the country goes because we were in very good shape when he left office.”
Spencer told us she believes Trump would do a better job ensuring the security of the country.
“Based on his past presidency, I know he would take measures to ensure the safety of the Country and he would build up the military,” the 64-year-old said.
The former president faced severe scrutiny for amicable relationships with dictators like Russian president Vladimir Putin, Chinese president Xi Jinping, and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
Iowa has been a state of great importance in U.S. elections since President Jimmy Carter won both the Iowa caucus and the White House. Former President Barack Obama won the state in 2008 and 2012. Donald Trump dominated the caucuses in 2016, 2020, and appears poised to do the same in the 2024 election.
With Iowa being such a pivotal state, it still baffles the locals that Democrats chose not to come to the Hawkeye State.
“…How are we going to are going to get the Democratic Party kind of abandoned the rural areas that there was a long period of time there. Okay. They’re big in Des Moines and the big one in Johnson County, which is Iowa City, where the university is, but other than that, they didn’t come down there,” Harris told us. “I don’t know how we’re gonna get candidates to run.”
Iowa maintains huge importance in the 2024 election and the Democrats there are not only frustrated with the national party placing an emphasis on the urban areas, but they are finding foreign relation decisions may be a huge concern when it’s time to hit the ballots.
In conversations with Democrats countrywide, traditionally loyal democratic support is wavering with America’s significant involvement in this war. Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Generation Z- or Gen Z has been incredibly vocal about perceived injustices. That has been more prevalent during the war of the West Bank. Since the conflict has gained national attention, there have been protests in support of Palestine at schools like UC Berkeley in California, outside the CNN headquarters in Atlanta, Ga, coordinated by Morehouse and Spelman College students, and New York University in New York City. Iowans are aware of the conflict and, as Harris stated, know Biden has a difficult task of mediating public perception of the decisions regarding the war over the Gaza strip.
