Article by Molly Bramble, BuzzStaff Writer
Graphic Courtesy of Sophie Schillie
The 2026 midterm elections are just days away, and SAU students say they are concerned about political division and frustrated with negative advertisements. Polls are showing a close race and a push to see which party will lead Congress.
In Iowa, races for governor, the US Senate, state and local races are also hotly contested.
Some students closely follow politics; others struggle to determine what and who they will support.
“I think the midterms kind of get ignored, but they hold a lot of weight,” says Madilyn Reum, a sophomore who double majors in criminal justice and psychology.
Madilyn says she notices “our country and state being very politically divided. I would like to see America get back to where politics are civil, not a constant argument.” This division has not gone unnoticed among college students.
Hannah Stearns is a triple major in art history, international studies, and political science. She says this election feels very right versus left. “It feels like the candidates are saying, ‘You are either with us, or you are against us,’ and that is not the reality for most voters.”
Students say they can hardly avoid politics, even if they do not have an opinion on the matter. Madilyn says that when she is at home in Illinois, she hardly ever sees political advertisements; when she is in Iowa, they have a constant presence in the media she consumes.
The ads are played during short and long forms of content and often cannot be skipped. Brooklyn Schlapkohl, an exercise science major, adds, “I am ready for the ads to be off of my Hulu. They are all negative about each candidate and not what the candidate will actually do in office.”
Some students say they do not pay much attention to politics. Kate James, a history and secondary education major, says, “I have very little feelings about the election because I do not pay attention. It is hard to decipher what is bad between what is good these days.”
Mechanical engineering major, Kevin Magnuson, also says that he does not pay much attention to the elections, but he would “like to see the minimum wage raised.”
The minimum wage in Iowa has been $7.25/hour since 2008. The Common Good Iowa website says inflation has increased over 50%, and although the cost of living in Iowa is lower than most of America, $7.25 is not affordable.
Democrat gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand’s website says that, as governor, he would work to raise the minimum wage to $12/hour. The Iowa Public Radio website says Zach Lahn, Sand’s opponent, focuses his attention on eliminating property taxes on primary residences.
