Vance Pushes Year-Round E15 at Des Moines Rally for Nunn

by Isabella Warren (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau/KCRG) Vice president campaigns for Iowa congressman as Congress prepares to vote on expanded ethanol access -- Vice President JD Vance spoke in Des Moines on Monday (May 4, 2026) supporting Iowa Republican Congressman Zach Nunn’s re-election campaign, with agriculture and year-round E15 fuel sales playing a prominent role.

The Republican-led Congress has yet to approve the change. Vance’s visit comes as Iowa is expected to play an important role in the upcoming midterm elections, with Republicans holding a slim majority in Congress.

Nunn pointed out the dozens of supporters who showed up to the event wearing E15 hats and shirts, highlighting the importance of ethanol to Iowa’s agriculture economy.

“Many of you in this room I’m looking at you, Team Red Hat, we moved forward a farm bill in a bipartisan fashion, but in a way that certain folks in Washington never wanted to see the light of day,” Nunn said.

Vance told the crowd that Iowa farmers play a critical role in the nation’s energy future.

“President Trump, along with your very relentless congressional leaders who have been working at this and we’re getting so close finally getting Congress to pass year-round E15,” Vance said.

Expanding access to E15, a fuel blend made with 15 percent ethanol, could strengthen demand for corn grown by Iowa farmers.

Many farmers face tight margins, rising costs, and uncertain markets following Trump’s decision to strike Iran and raise tariffs. But Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the administration is focused on helping them.

“The Trump Vance administration has been the strongest ever on biofuels,” Rollins said.

Vance also criticized Democrats and Nunn’s opponent, Sarah Trone Garriott, saying Republicans are prioritizing policies that support farmers and domestic energy production.

“So while Zach is fighting to make sure for the benefit of Iowa but frankly for the benefit of the whole country, that we get more E15 into the market all over the United States of America, his opponent voted to push biological males in girls sports as early as kindergarten,” Vance said.

Nunn told the crowd Congress will vote on a year-round E15 bill next week. In January, President Trump said he would sign an E15 bill if it made it to his desk. READ MORE

Excerpt from Brownfield Ag News: U.S. Senator Deb Fischer says farmers critically need the certainty of permanent, year-round sales of E15 fuel blends.

“Corn farmers are worried. They want to see E15 come about as being a year-round solution to some of their issues that they have – to offer them another market.”

The Nebraska Republican says yearly emergency waivers are not a long-term solution.

“I appreciate this administration and previous administrations when they would give those waivers. It’s important to do that, but we need the certainty.”

Fischer, a member of the Senate Ag Committee, says year-round E15 sales could create more demand for corn farmers and lower costs for consumers.

Vice President JD Vance spoke at a “packed rally” last Tuesday in Des Moines, Iowa, touting the Trump administration accomplishments on the economy — but according to the Iowa Starting Line, some of those attendees may very well have been paid to be there.

“I wanted to invite you to join me in seeing Vice President JD Vance this afternoon in Des Moines,” wrote Jake Swanson, an Iowa ethanol lobbyist, in a text message obtained and confirmed as authentic by the Iowa Starting Line.

“I do some work for an ethanol company and so if you’re able to join, I will give you $100, and for anyone that you recruit, an additional $25. No limit on referrals, so if someone recruits a group of 20 to show up, that’s $500.”

Swanson is the president of High Yield Strategies, a consulting firm that specializes in economic development. He’s also served in Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ administration as the lead agriculture and energy policy advisor.

“I love ethanol and what it does for our state. So I was happy to bring some Iowa State kids to the rally to celebrate all the things Trump-Vance have done for biofuels and I think there’s opportunity for so much more,” Swanson wrote in a statement to the Iowa Starting Line. “This is what I like to do in my own personal spare time.” READ MORE