Campaign Almanac: Sarah Huckabee Sanders to headline Joni Ernst’s Roast & Ride

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former White House press secretary and the Republican candidate for governor of Arkansas, will headline Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst’s Roast & Ride this fall.

“Sarah Huckabee Sanders is a good friend and relentless fighter for our strong, conservative values. I am thrilled to have Sarah joining me, and so many Iowans, for this year’s Roast & Ride. We look forward to seeing you in October!” Ernst said in a news release.

Sanders was press secretary for President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019. She is the daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who ran in the Republican primary for president in 2008 and 2016.

“Joni Ernst is on the front lines every day, pushing back against the radical policies of the far left in Washington, D.C., and I am excited to join my friend at her annual Roast & Ride this year. Iowans, like Arkansans, know that we need to elect strong conservatives in November who will defend our freedom and enact bold reforms,” Sanders said in the release.

The annual Ernst fundraiser, which has drawn prospective presidential candidates in the past, is returning Oct. 22 after a two-year hiatus. This year’s event will include a “ruck march,” a military-style march usually done carrying weight.

Ads hit the airwaves in Iowa's 3rd District

Candidates in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District released ads this week appealing to bipartisanship and a promise to work across the aisle.

Cindy Axne, the incumbent Democrat in the race, said in the ad that she was dedicated to fighting high prices in Congress, which included working with Republicans. She noted work with Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is also up for re-election, on addressing consolidation in meat processing, and work on bills to increase American manufacturing.

“I’m working across the state, and across the aisle, to bring tax relief to middle-class Iowans,” she says in the ad.

“Cindy Axne has always been committed to working with Republicans and Democrats to do what’s best for Iowans,” Axne campaign spokesperson Paige Godden said in a news release. “She knows Iowa families have been struggling to keep up with rising food and gas prices, and she’s working to bring these costs down as quickly as possible.”

State Sen. Zach Nunn, Axne’s Republican opponent, emphasized his military experience in an ad that shows him in military uniform and highlights his decorations as a member of the U.S. Air Force. The ad also makes a bipartisan appeal.

“I’ll work across the aisle to get results,” he says in the ad. “Stand up to special interests, and always put Iowans first.”

Chuck Grassley, Mike Franken to debate Oct. 6 on Iowa PBS

Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley will participate in an Iowa PBS debate with Democratic challenger and retired Adm. Mike Franken, Grassley’s campaign announced Wednesday.

According to the announcement, the debate will take place on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. on Iowa PBS.

Franken’s campaign announced the debate and a second one last week, but Grassley’s campaign said the details still were being finalized.

“Mike Franken needs to explain to Iowans why he believes President Biden is doing a 'fabulous job' and supports Democrats' reckless tax-and-spending sprees while Iowans are struggling to afford soaring cost of living increases,” Grassley campaign manager Matt Dailer said in a news release.