The Race Is On: A Conversation About Where Iowa Stands Heading Into the Final Month

And the first thing that I want to talk about, we did on Tuesday, Dr.

Bob joined myself and Representative Jennifer Converse.

We talked about the announcement most recently about this $15 billion steel mill or steel plant coming to southeast Iowa and Lee County.

If you don't know, President Trump announced plans for Masabi Metallics to build a roughly $15 billion steel mill in Lee County, backed up to $10 million in federal Ex-Im bank financing.

The project could produce 10 million tons of steel annual with production targeted for 2030.

Supporters estimate 6,000 construction jobs and 1,750 permanent jobs.

I believe the starting pay they mentioned was $49 an hour, which is obviously huge.

Special legislation session coming up on Friday.

As Kim Reynolds called that, that's what we were talking about with Representative Jennifer Converse.

But I want to get your thoughts.

Specifically, Zach, you know, we'll start off with you on this topic.

I know you've done some videos in regards to this big steel mill and these ideas.

And one thing that we talked about on Tuesday about this was – It always feels like it's too good to be true.

It always feels like from somebody from Iowa, a working class guy, it's like, yeah, like what if you put in a box and said, what are the things that Iowans want? We want good paying jobs.

We want opportunities.

We want, you know, real industry coming to Iowa, bringing bringing money into into the state.

So it marks all those boxes.

So that's where you can't help but get excited, especially when you think about a working class perspective, like construction workers, union members, how this could affect them in the future.

But talk about your thoughts on that, Zach, when you heard about it, what you're seeing about it.

And how do we distinguish this and how do we how do we try to keep hope with this when we know things like Foxconn and happened in Wisconsin? We know those things have happened.

So and how do we know that this is not another bribe, almost, if you will, for working class people and especially right before the election?

Absolutely.

I mean, I think the I want to set up I want to set up a framework for us to use when we're talking about this project.

Right.

We're smart people on the call.

And the first thing that I want to talk about, we did on Tuesday, Dr.

Bob joined myself and Representative Jennifer Converse.

We talked about the announcement most recently about this $15 billion steel mill or steel plant coming to southeast Iowa and Lee County.

If you don't know, President Trump announced plans for Masabi Metallics to build a roughly $15 billion steel mill in Lee County, backed up to $10 million in federal Ex-Im bank financing.

The project could produce 10 million tons of steel annual with production targeted for 2030.

Supporters estimate 6,000 construction jobs and 1,750 permanent jobs.

I believe the starting pay they mentioned was $49 an hour, which is obviously huge.

Special legislation session coming up on Friday.

As Kim Reynolds called that, that's what we were talking about with Representative Jennifer Converse.

But I want to get your thoughts.

Specifically, Zach, you know, we'll start off with you on this topic.

I know you've done some videos in regards to this big steel mill and these ideas.

And one thing that we talked about on Tuesday about this was – It always feels like it's too good to be true.

It always feels like from somebody from Iowa, a working class guy, it's like, yeah, like what if you put in a box and said, what are the things that Iowans want? We want good paying jobs.

We want opportunities.

We want, you know, real industry coming to Iowa, bringing bringing money into into the state.

So it marks all those boxes.

So that's where you can't help but get excited, especially when you think about a working class perspective, like construction workers, union members, how this could affect them in the future.

But talk about your thoughts on that, Zach, when you heard about it, what you're seeing about it.

And how do we distinguish this and how do we how do we try to keep hope with this when we know things like Foxconn and happened in Wisconsin? We know those things have happened.

So and how do we know that this is not another bribe, almost, if you will, for working class people and especially right before the election?

Absolutely.

I mean, I think the I want to set up I want to set up a framework for us to use when we're talking about this project.

Right.

We're smart people on the call.