Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) PAC rally in Des Moines, Iowa, on October 28, as part of a broader push to support Republican candidates in the November 3 midterm elections.
The event, held between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., featured speeches from Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn, House candidate Joe Mitchell, and Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joe Ladapo, among others. Kennedy participated in his personal capacity, according to organizers. The rally aimed to promote the Make Iowa Healthy Again movement, which advocates for policies addressing healthcare access and costs in the state.
Healthcare emerges as a key issue in Iowa’s midterm races, with Democrats highlighting concerns over Medicaid cuts, rising costs, rural care shortages, and Iowa’s cancer crisis. Republicans, including Lahn, have framed healthcare as a priority, though polls show Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand maintaining a lead over Lahn since the primaries. Iowa has not elected a Democratic governor since 2006, when Chet Culver held the office.
The rally follows President Donald Trump’s visit to Iowa on October 21, where he campaigned for Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson, who is currently in a tight race against Democrat Michael Franken. Trump is scheduled to return to Iowa on November 1. Notably, Hinson was not listed as a speaker at the MAHA event, and it remains unclear whether she was invited.
Organizers of the MAHA PAC event and the campaigns of Lahn, Sand, and Hinson were contacted for comment but did not immediately respond.