Cancer Takes Center Stage in Iowa’s Midterms, Framing a Fight Over Farming and Water Quality

Iowa’s rising cancer rates—now the top issue for voters—have become a central campaign theme in the midterms, with Republicans and Democrats vying to show how to curb pollution from farming (fertilizer runoff, Cafos) and improve water quality and radon safety; candidates propose varied policy changes, while grassroots farmer groups push for broader farming reforms, underscoring that solving the health crisis will require long-term, systemic action beyond a single election.