The two candidates in Iowa’s closely watched 2026 Senate race are trying to persuade voters they answer to the state—not party leaders or the president—as high fuel costs and dissatisfaction with tariffs complicate the contest for Republicans. Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, asked Sunday about her campaign pledge to be President Donald Trump’s “strongest ally” in the Senate, said that support would depend on whether Trump’s actions serve Iowa. “If they’re wrong, I’m going to pick a fight with them, no matter who that is,” she said in an interview aired on ABC’s “This Week.” Hinson said the economy “sure doesn’t feel like it right now,” pushing back on Trump’s upbeat assessment. She also opposed easing sanctions on Russia, citing her vote for sanctions, and said she wanted the war in Iran to end quickly. But she declined to rule out a new U.S. offensive after the midterms, saying she trusted Trump and the military to decide what was necessary. Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek called himself a “proud moderate” and said he focuses on his own views and Iowa rather than the party as a whole. Asked what Trump had done well, Turek said the president had done “a better job on the border than Biden, for sure.” He also cited agreement on keeping private equity out of housing and ending taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security, while arguing that Trump’s economic policies had concentrated wealth and power. Turek’s campaign has benefited from substantial national Democratic support. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s leadership PAC contributed the maximum to his campaign, though Schumer did not formally endorse him, and VoteVets spent more than $10 million on advertising for Turek. Former President Barack Obama has formally endorsed him and appeared with him in a campaign ad. The race is a key test of whether Democrats can compete in a state Trump won by 13 points in 2024. The party has not won an Iowa Senate election since 2008. Trump campaigned in the state the week before the candidates’ interviews, while Republican allies have warned that his tariff agenda and the Iran war could hurt Hinson’s prospects. Asked whether endorsements matter, Turek replied: “Probably not.”