Mike Johnson, speaker of the U.S. House, speaks Friday at the 15th annual Family Leadership Conference at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.
Hailey Peck/Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau
DES MOINES — Iowa will play a key role nationwide in the midterm elections later this year, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives told attendees of the 15th annual Family Leadership Summit on Friday.
Speaker Mike Johnson said that this midterm year is unlike any other.
“This is shaping up to be an all-out fateful battle for the future of the country,” Johnson said at the summit, billed as “the Midwest’s largest gathering for cultural transformation.”
“Iowa is in the center of this battle. You are literally tipping the spear on the front lines. What happens in Iowa has a big influence around the country.”
Johnson’s comments come as election forecasters expect several close races in the state.
The Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball have rated the U.S. House races in the 1st and 3rd congressional districts as “toss-ups,” while Inside Elections rates the 1st District (southeast Iowa) as a toss-up and the 3rd (central Iowa) as “tilt” Republican. All three rate Iowa’s open governor’s race as a toss-up and the open U.S. Senate race as “leans” Republican.
Both Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Hinson and Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn also gave speeches during the Family Leadership Summit, a force in conservative politics in Iowa, at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn speaks during the Iowa GOP Lincoln Dinner on July 10 in Des Moines.
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Lahn took the stage to discuss how people need to understand history in order to understand politics.
“We have to understand our own story and why we’re here, because if you look at politicians, you understand deeply how corrupted the political process has become,” Lahn said. “It’s incumbent upon us to make sure we understand who the people running for office are at a deep level. And I believe that if you do not get the culture right, you will never get the policy right.”
Lahn said that he decided to run because of the history of the country.
“I ran for office not because of politics, not because of a piece of legislation I wanted to pass, not because of a regulation I didn’t like — trust me, there’s plenty of all those — but I did it because of the culture, the heritage, the history, and the stories of our country, our state, and our people,” Lahn said.
U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson of Marion speaks during a campaign event on Jan. 10 in Adel.
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Hinson took a different approach to her speech, talking about how she is seeing the country face challenges and backsliding. In these times, she said, it is important to remember how important collective voices are.
“It is really an important reminder to how powerful our collective voice can be as we take on the challenges facing not only our state but facing our country,” Hinson said. “They try to impose their radical ideas on their kids, our kids, our communities. So we have the ability to show up and make sure we’re standing for the vision for our state and our country that we all care about.
”Never forget the power of your voice and, most importantly, your vote.”
Hinson also claimed that Democratic candidates are “openly embracing socialism,” something that Johnson also mentioned in his speech, voicing concerns about Marxism, socialism and communism.
Reynolds’ farewell
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks to reporters after her final bill-signing ceremony as governor at the Iowa Capitol in Des Moines on June 2, 2026.
Erin Murphy/The Gazette
Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is not running for re-election, also spoke, her final time appearing at the summit as governor. She told audience members that her time in office has been an honor.
“I have been truly blessed to walk and work alongside you, and I am extremely proud of our record. Together, we stood strong for pro-life, pro-family, pro-freedom policies,” Reynolds said.
“People of faith have never been without a voice in state government. Sometimes that voice has been supported by countless others, and sometimes it’s echoed alone. But it has always been there, and it has always been fearless in its defense of the truth.”
Reynolds said this is a pivotal time in history and decisions in the upcoming election will dictate what kind of society people want.
“These are more than policy discussions,” she said. “They’re pivotal decision points about the kind of society we want to be and whether we’ll leave the next generation a culture that recognizes the inherent dignity and value of every person. It’s an opportunity not only to honor what past generations have built, but to decide what we’ll build for those who follow. The answer won’t be found in government alone.”
Reynolds ended her speech by saying she has hope for the future, especially with Lahn as a candidate for governor.
The event also featured an unveiling of what organizers said is the largest glass-blown American flag in the world. The flag, created by Davenport artist Logan Ryser, is 28 feet wide and 15 feet tall.