Council Bluffs, Iowa

Iowa lawmakers convened a special session on Oct. 2 and approved an expansion of the state's Major Economic Growth Attraction (MEGA) program, authorizing up to $1.36 billion in tax incentives to help secure a proposed $15 billion Mesabi Metallics steel mill in Lee County in southeast Iowa. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the measure into law hours after the legislature adjourned. The vote split unevenly across party lines: Republicans backed the changes 85-8, while Democrats opposed them 28-18.

Critics, including some Republicans, argued the state overpaid, with one senator contending a rival bid from Arkansas was never a serious competing option and that Iowa effectively negotiated against itself. Supporters, including Iowa Economic Development Authority director Debi Durham, defended the deal as performance-based, noting the state won't commit funds until the plant is operational. The project is pitched as a major driver of high-paying jobs in rural Iowa, and the debate highlights ongoing scrutiny of large state subsidy packages used to attract industrial investment.

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), the Republican nominee seeking to replace retiring Sen. Joni Ernst, will not attend Vice President JD Vance's campaign rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa, this Friday. A spokeswoman for Hinson said the congresswoman has previously scheduled events and will not be in attendance, without elaborating further on the conflict.

Hinson is running in a competitive contest to hold the Iowa Senate seat for Republicans, making her decision to skip a high-profile rally headlined by the vice president notable ahead of the race. The absence comes as national Republicans look to shore up support in battleground and competitive states, with Vance frequently deployed to campaign on behalf of GOP candidates. No further details on scheduling conflicts or whether Hinson plans alternative engagement with the Trump-Vance administration's campaign push have been disclosed.