Zachary Nunn

The Iowa State Fair was in full swing on the mid-August afternoon when secretary of war Pete Hegseth made a live appearance at JR’s SouthPork Ranch to campaign for Republican congressman Zach Nunn. Whether the boost was a help or hindrance to the candidate – or JR himself – depends on perspective.

Hegseth’s appearance at the restaurant came shortly after the precarious memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States had elapsed and coincided with a partisan controversy over the record days at sea endured by sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln. Hegseth was forced to deny reports of plummeting morale and supply shortages as Democrats demanded answers.