For Glenn Brunkow, a fifth-generation farmer in Kansas, autumn is famously "go time," a busy period spent harvesting fields, transporting yields to town, and transferring livestock from summer pastures to their winter homes.
asserted
autumn → spend → homes
This year, agricultural workers are navigating the harvest alongside diesel fuel prices that have climbed by more than $2.50 per gallon compared to last year, compounding pressures from rising costs, volatile markets and shrinking profits.
"It seems like it’s coming at us from all directions," said Brunkow, president of the Kansas Farm Bureau.
asserted
Brunkow → navigate → Bureau
The economic struggles are becoming a significant political issue for Republicans in states long considered party strongholds.
asserted
struggles → become → states
President Donald Trump is traveling to Kansas on Monday before visiting Iowa later in the week, marking his latest effort to energize his base in the final weeks leading up to the midterm elections.
asserted
Trump → travel → elections
The travel comes as Republicans direct substantial funds into Senate contests in Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa to offset concerns over voter engagement.
asserted
Republicans → come → engagement
The concern is particularly acute in Kansas—where Trump beat Democrat Kamala Harris by 16 percentage points in 2024—as Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faces a serious challenge from Democrat Adam Hamilton.
asserted
Marshall → beat → Hamilton
Democrats have not won a Kansas Senate race in 94 years.
asserted
Democrats → win → years
Brunkow, whose group endorsed Marshall, said he is frequently asked whether financial hardship could push Republican farmers to vote Democratic.
uncertain
hardship → endorse → farmers
"I don’t think it necessarily does that," Brunkow said.
asserted
Brunkow → think → that
"But I think it dampens the enthusiasm for agriculture producers to get to the polls."
asserted
producers → think → polls
Republican voters' frustrations with the party have deepened
Don Hineman, a western Kansas rancher and former Republican state House majority leader, said he’s seeing growing frustration among GOP voters beyond just farmers, including some who have supported Trump in multiple elections.
asserted
who → deepen → elections
He said farmers understand that Trump’s tariffs have hurt their businesses and are upset over the ongoing war with Iran.
asserted
tariffs → say → Iran
Immigration has also become a source of concern, particularly after recent immigration raids in western Kansas that resulted in the detention of more than 100 people.
asserted
that → become → people
“We need a secure border — we can all agree on that,” Hineman said.
asserted
Hineman → need → that
“But we also need workable immigration policy that provides the workforce that the United States has always depended on and will always continue to need.”
asserted
States → need → that
Hineman said the traditional Republican argument in Kansas — that electing Democrats would empower the party’s liberal wing — is losing its effectiveness with some voters, including himself.
asserted
electing → say → himself
“I am tired of being persuaded by charges that the boogeyman is going to get us,” he said.
asserted
he → persuade → us
“I am so fed up with the Republican Party and their willingness to play sycophant to our current commander in chief that I’m willing to consider alternatives.”
asserted
I → feed → alternatives
Debbie Geneva, 61, of Nortonville, Kansas, said she was impressed by Hamilton after he visited a local market to meet people, something she hasn't seen Marshall do.
asserted
Marshall → say → people
She's never voted for a Democrat, she said, but remains undecided about the Senate race.
asserted
she → vote → race
“I’ve never voted for a Democrat in my entire life, so that’s a little scary for me to be undecided,” said Geneva.
asserted
Geneva → vote → life
"I told one of my friends that, and they can’t believe it, but that’s just the way I feel right now.”
asserted
I → tell → it
Geneva said rising costs for healthcare and everyday expenses have added to her frustrations.
asserted
costs → say → frustrations
“And then of course the trade agreements," she added.
asserted
she → add → course
“The Republicans haven’t done the Midwest any favors with that.”
asserted
Republicans → do → that
Farmers face a financial squeeze
asserted
Farmers → face → squeeze
Farmers have spent months feeling the squeeze as costs for inputs like diesel, fertilizer and seed have soared due to refinery constraints and supply disruptions tied to the Iran war.
asserted
costs → spend → war
Diesel averaged $6.30 per gallon nationwide on Friday, more than 70% higher than a year ago, according to motor club AAA.
uncertain
Diesel → average → AAA
The surge has been especially painful during harvest season, when farmers depend heavily on fuel to operate machinery and transport crops.
asserted
farmers → depend → crops
“This is a time of year when we use a lot of fuel, and there just isn’t much we can do,” Brunkow said.
asserted
Brunkow → use → fuel
“The margins are tight, and anything that cuts into that margin really hurts.”
asserted
that → cut → margin
The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that net farm income will decline by 2.6% this year as production expenses rise by 4.5%.
asserted
expenses → project → %
Fuel and oil expenses alone are expected to jump nearly 30%, according to the agency’s September forecast.
uncertain
expenses → expect → forecast
The Trump administration has attempted to ease some of those burdens.
asserted
administration → attempt → burdens
Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order to ease limits on the tax-free use of red-dyed diesel, a decision he said would save “millions” for farmers.
asserted
he → sign → farmers
That came after a $12 billion aid package for farmers announced by the Trump administration in December.
asserted
That → come → December
But those efforts have not erased frustrations among some farmers who expected their financial outlook to improve under Trump.
asserted
outlook → erase → Trump
Brunkow said many farmers “thought it would be better” under Trump, although he thinks most would still consider him the better choice in the 2024 election.
asserted
him → say → election
“He’s made some unforced errors," said Brunkow.
asserted
Brunkow → make → errors
“Miscalculations, bad advice, that had unintended consequences.”
asserted
that → have → consequences
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
