Iowa Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson is amplifying voter frustration over high prices, arguing that Iowans should not bear the financial burden of the ongoing military action in Iran. In a statement posted Monday on X, Hinson said, "Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn't have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran. We need to use every option at our disposal to provide some relief from high prices."
Hinson's comments mark a notable shift for a GOP contender in a key battleground state, directly linking the seven-month conflict to domestic economic pain. Her proposal includes suspending the federal gas tax, pausing diesel exports, easing restrictions on higher ethanol blends, and creating a "diesel relief program" aimed at helping farmers and truckers.
"These actions to lower costs are needed ASAP, and the war needs to be brought to a successful and immediate end," Hinson wrote, adding that she is "working every day to deliver bipartisan results for Iowans."
The push to restrict diesel exports follows a similar suggestion from Iowa's senior senator, Chuck Grassley, who over the weekend questioned why the administration hasn't imposed an embargo on diesel shipments, drawing parallels to agricultural embargoes in the 1970s. Grassley warned that "high diesel prices ARE KILLING FARMERS INCOME."
Diesel costs have spiked since President Trump ordered joint strikes with Israel against Iran in February. The national average for diesel was $3.52 per gallon in January, but reached an all-time high of $6.50 on Monday, according to analysts who attribute the surge to reduced exports stemming from the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.
Hinson's Democratic opponent, state Rep. Josh Turek, quickly fired back, accusing her of being part of the problem. "@hinsonashley, it's easy to send a tweet but when you had the chance to vote to end this war, you chose not to. You voted seven times to continue it, including just last week," Turek posted on X. "It's time to actually end the forever wars and put Iowa and Iowans first."
Turek also claimed Hinson was "finally following my lead after waffling on the proposals I put forward last week to address the rising costs of the war in Iran."
The exchange underscores how the Iran conflict is becoming a flashpoint in the Iowa Senate race, with both candidates seeking to position themselves as champions of economic relief. Hinson's emphasis on energy costs aligns with broader GOP messaging ahead of the midterms, but her opponent is using her voting record to frame her as complicit in the ongoing military engagement.
As the campaign heats up, the interplay between foreign policy and household finances is likely to remain a central theme. With diesel prices at record highs and farmers feeling the pinch, the political stakes are high in a state where agriculture is a dominant economic force.
