President Donald Trump is scheduled to campaign in Iowa later this week as new polling shows Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults souring on Republicans ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The visit comes as Republicans pour money into Senate races in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska amid worries about voter enthusiasm during a costly harvest season.
An AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll conducted Sept. 8-15 found that only about one-quarter of AAPI adults approve of the job Trump is doing as president, and roughly 2 in 10 approve of his handling of the economy, according to U.S. News and World Report. The survey gives Democrats a substantial edge with this voting bloc on major issues including the economy and health care.
Why Trump's Iowa Stop Matters for Midterm Turnout
Trump heads first to Kansas on Monday, then Iowa later in the week, part of a late push to energize his base in the final stretch before Election Day. The stops come as Republicans pour money into Senate races in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa amid concerns about voter enthusiasm, according to U.S. News and World Report.
The anxiety is especially sharp in Kansas, a state Trump won by 16 percentage points over Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024, where Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faces a tough challenge from Democrat Adam Hamilton. Democrats have not won a Senate election in Kansas in 94 years.
Iowa faces its own pressures. Farmers are dealing with a costly harvest season, and high diesel prices have squeezed margins across the Corn Belt, a dynamic covered in our reporting on Trump's earlier Iowa trip and fuel costs. Republicans count heavily on farmers' votes, and the economic strain is becoming a growing political concern for the party in states it has long dominated.
What the AP-NORC/AAPI Data Poll Found
The survey, conducted Sept. 8-15 by AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, shows Trump's standing on the economy has fallen among AAPI adults over the course of his second term, according to AP News.
The vast majority of AAPI adults view the economy as one of the most important issues in the upcoming election, the poll found. Only about 2 in 10 approve of Trump's performance on it.
Although AAPI adults trust Democrats more than Republicans on a wide range of issues, views of the Democratic Party itself remain split, the poll found. That division leaves room for both parties to compete for the group in the final two weeks of the campaign.
Other Developments: Rubio, Ukraine and Netanyahu
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Uzbekistan on Sunday that there has been no pause in U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine. He was responding to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's remarks to NBC in which Zelenskyy said the sharing 'was blocked for some period of time and then it was deblocked.'
'I don't know where he's getting these things from or why he's saying these things to the press. There's been no pause.'
Rubio said Zelenskyy should focus on 'bringing an end to this war.' Rubio added that the administration sees 'nothing good coming from this war' and sees a real risk of escalation and the conflict spreading into another country.
Trump also endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection on Sunday, a boost the prime minister had sought for months. In a social media post, Trump called Netanyahu 'a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combating the Islamic Republic of Iran.' Israelis vote Oct. 27 in the first national elections since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
What This Means for Iowa Republicans
The AAPI poll numbers add another layer of complexity for Republicans in the Midwest, where Senate races are drawing heavy spending from both parties. Iowa's Senate contest has tightened as economic concerns weigh on GOP voters, a trend tracked in our coverage of the Iowa Senate race and Trump economy worries.
Trump's Iowa appearance will give the president a chance to address farmer frustration directly and make the case that his policies will deliver relief. How that message lands with rural voters, and whether it offsets national polling headwinds, could shape the outcome in a state Republicans have carried in recent cycles but cannot afford to take for granted on Nov. 3.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Trump visiting Iowa?
Trump is scheduled to campaign in Iowa later this week, following a Monday stop in Kansas, according to U.S. News and World Report. Exact rally details had not been announced in the report.
What did the AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll find about Trump's approval?
The Sept. 8-15 poll found about one-quarter of AAPI adults approve of Trump's job performance overall, and about 2 in 10 approve of his handling of the economy.
When are the midterm elections?
The midterm elections are Nov. 3, 2026.