Pete Hegseth Gains 2028 GOP Traction in Iowa as 79% of Republicans Approve
Updated
Updated · Salon · Aug 24
Pete Hegseth Gains 2028 GOP Traction in Iowa as 79% of Republicans Approve
3 articles · Updated · Salon · Aug 24
Summary
Aug. 17 at the Iowa State Fair, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made what the report casts as a soft 2028 launch, betting his appeal to white evangelical primary voters can outweigh his broader unpopularity.
79% of Republicans approve of Hegseth’s job performance versus 34% of Americans overall, according to a Quinnipiac poll cited in the report, underscoring his strength with the GOP base despite weak national standing.
White evangelicals still make up a majority of GOP primary voters, and the report argues Hegseth’s militant Christian nationalism, hard-line rhetoric and performative masculinity align closely with that bloc’s priorities.
Nearly 70% of white evangelicals now embrace Christian nationalism, the report says, helping explain why controversies over anti-trans remarks, Pentagon culture-war moves and exclusionary religious policies may bolster rather than damage him.
The report frames Hegseth’s Iowa reception as a warning that a candidate dismissed in Washington could become a serious 2028 contender if the Republican electorate continues moving rightward.