IOWA – One of the Democratic lawmakers that was aiming to flip a U.S. Senate set in deep-red Iowa has dropped out of the race. The Associated Press reports State Representative J.D. Scholten is suspending his campaign and endorsing fellow lawmaker Josh Turek, who launched his bid last week. Senator Ernst did not commit to running again when asked at the Iowa State Fair. State Senator Zach Wahls, former Knoxville Chamber Director Nathan Sage, and Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris remain in the June 2026 primary field.

IOWA – Officially drought free — that’s the latest from the U.S. Drought Monitor as more rounds of precipitation impacted an active summer around the state. Iowa officially has no areas in drought, with the previous update showing just .58% of the state in abnormally dry conditions. This is in stark contrast to the beginning of 2025, when 80% of Iowa was in dry conditions, with 57% in drought. An above-average summer for precipitation has been the driving force, and while several localized flooding events have been reported, widespread damage has been avoided, according to the National Weather Service.

DES MOINES – Despite rain, heat and humidity, the 2025 Iowa State Fair welcomed a total of 1.16 million fairgoers. While shy of the records set in 2024, this year’s turnout was the third-highest in history despite the weather challenges. Along with multiple days of rain, the average daily temperature at the 2025 Fair was eight degrees warmer than the record-setting 2024 event.