Democrats Stuck in Political Wilderness Finally See Hope in Iowa

After years in the political wilderness, Iowa Democrats are feeling a new sensation — hope.

Once seen as a bellwether, the Midwestern state of 3.2 million people has over the past decade served as a microcosm for national politics, lurching to the right as President Donald Trump solidified his grasp on White and rural voters. But Democrats see an opportunity to reverse those trends, buoyed by broad dissatisfaction with the economy and a group of well-liked, centrist candidates expected to prevail in Tuesday’s party primaries.

Trump’s aggressive tariff agenda has turbocharged voter frustrations with the state’s heavily agricultural economy, squeezing the fertilizer ...