Simon Rosenberg & Stuart Stevens: Why Iowa’s the Dark Horse Battleground of 2026

Republicans have a Trump problem. Stuart Stevens says Democrats need to make sure voters remember it. Joining Simon Rosenberg for their monthly conversation, Stevens lays out a blunt closing strategy for the midterms: make the election a referendum on Trump, hold Republican candidates accountable, and stop assuming voters have already heard the case. “The greatest mistake campaigns make is to go too positive.” They discuss Iowa’s competitive races, Josh Turek and Rob Sand, Rosenberg’s assessment of Senate polling, the lessons of 2024, and why Stevens believes Democrats must keep drawing contrasts through Election Day. They close with his warning about the winter ahead for Ukraine. “If you're voting against Trump, you're voting for something.” Subscribe to Lincoln Square for more conversations about defeating authoritarianism and building what comes next. Catch Simon Rosenberg and Stuart Stevens’ monthly conversation on Hopium Chronicles. Support independent pro-democracy media: https://bit.ly/3YEQB4N #StuartStevens #SimonRosenberg #Midterms #LincolnSquare🤝 00:00 Simon Rosenberg Welcomes Stuart Stevens 00:45 How to Close a Competitive Campaign 02:05 Why Going Too Positive Can Backfire 05:07 Making Republicans Answer for Trump 06:32 Iowa’s Democratic Opportunity 09:12 Iowa’s Sense of Betrayal—and Demand for Change 11:22 Winning Back Working-Class Voters 14:31 The National Midterm Picture 15:03 Stuart’s Warning: Don’t Let Up 17:10 The Lessons of the 2024 Campaign 19:40 Trump’s Negative Advertising Strategy 22:35 Senate Ads and Red-State Polling 25:56 Trump Is Pulling Republicans Down 27:36 Ukraine Faces a Brutal Winter Join the Lincoln Square community on Substack today for unparalleled insights, expert commentary, and news from your favorite pro-democracy voices. Subscribe for free at: https://bit.ly/4jCEUFj 🔔 Subscribe to Lincoln Square on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3YEQB4N -🛍️ Get Official Pro-Democracy Merch & Protest Gear Support the movement and wear it proudly. Use code YOUTUBE for 15% off 👉 https://bit.ly/4pBuhUI 💙 Support Independent, Pro-Democracy Media Your support helps inform disengaged Americans nationwide. Every $10 reaches 1,000 voters with the facts. Donate via ActBlue: https://bit.ly/4sBec40 📲 Stay Connected with Lincoln Square Instagram:   / lincolnsquarehq   Facebook:   / lincolnsquarehq   TikTok:   / lincolnsquarehq   Sez Us: https://sez.us/user/lincolnsquarehq?1... BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/lincolnsquar... YouTube:    / @lincolnsquaremedia   Xitter: https://x.com/LincolnSquareHQ Substack: lincolnsquare.media #politics #lincolnsquare #democracy #trump #lincolnproject