LEE-GAZETTE DES MOINES BUREAU

House Republicans’ campaign arm launched a paid advertising campaign hitting Democrats over the government shutdown in 42 competitive House seats — including two in Iowa — hours after the federal government entered a shutdown at midnight on Wednesday.

The National Republican Congressional Committee released a 30-second spot in Iowa’s 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts, where Republican incumbent U.S. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn are running for re-election in closely watched competitive races in 2026.

Republicans accuse Democrats of “grinding America to a halt in order to give illegal immigrants free health care.”

“Democrats refused to fund the government. So now military troops, police and Border Patrol lose their paychecks. Because of De

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