与卫生部长罗伯特·F·肯尼迪 Jr. 关联的“让美国再次健康”（Make America Healthy Again，MAHA）运动的政治行动委员会周四宣布，该组织正在爱荷华州州长竞选中投入超过100万美元，这是该组织迄今为止的最大捐款。由肯尼迪盟友、图书出版商托尼·莱昂斯运营的联邦超级政治行动委员会MAHA Action PAC表示，将向共和党人扎克·拉恩的州长竞选捐款150万美元。
A political action committee associated with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement announced Thursday it is investing more than $1 million in the Iowa governor’s race, the group’s largest contribution to date. MAHA Action PAC, a federal super PAC run by Kennedy ally and book publisher Tony Lyons, said it is donating $1.5 million to Republican Zach Lahn's gubernatorial campaign.
相关的联邦混合型超级政治行动委员会MAHA PAC也将投入15万美元用于支持拉恩的独立支出。拉恩自称为再生农民和商人，在州共和党初选中击败了获得特朗普总统背书的现任政客兰迪·费恩斯特拉，因而引起关注。爱荷华州州长候选人拉恩拥护MAHA理念，经常批评“大农业”和可能污染食品供应的有毒农药使用。他的政纲包括打破农业垄断和捍卫较小的独立农场。
MAHA PAC, a related federal hybrid super PAC, is also deploying $150,000 in independent expenditures in support of Lahn. Lahn, who describes himself as a regenerative farmer and businessman, made waves during the state’s GOP primary by defeating Rep. Randy Feenstra, an established politician who was endorsed by President Trump. The Iowa gubernatorial candidate embraces the MAHA mantle, frequently criticizing “Big Ag” and the use of toxic pesticides that can contaminate the food supply. His platform includes breaking up farming monopolies and defending smaller, independent farms.
“MAHA是第一个相信扎克·拉恩的人，而爱荷华州共和党人证明了我们是正确的，”莱昂斯在一份声明中表示。“初选表明这场运动可以提名候选人。11月是我们证明它能够获胜的时候。我们的165万美元捐款是全国首个MAHA州长的首付款，我们正在请每一个相信健康自由的美国人帮助我们完成这项工作。”拉恩的民主党对手罗布·桑德也倡导关于改善儿童健康、清洁用水以及该州高癌症发病率的MAHA理念。
"MAHA was the first to believe in Zach Lahn, and the Iowa Republicans proved us right," Lyons said in a statement. "The primary showed this movement can nominate. November is where we prove it can win. Our $1.65 million donation is the down payment on the nation's first MAHA governorship, and we are asking every American who believes in health freedom to help us finish the job.”Lahn’s Democratic opponent, Rob Sand, also espouses MAHA messages about improving children’s health, clean water and the state’s high cancer rate.
桑德在民意调查中领先于拉恩，非党派选举预测机构Decision Desk HQ在周四早上预测该竞选将“倾向”民主党。MAHA PAC还计划为拉恩开展一个从10月21日持续到11月3日大选日的15天“拉票”入户敲门活动。
Sand is leading Lahn in the polls, with nonpartisan election forecaster Decision Desk HQ projecting the race will “lean" Democrat as of Thursday morning. MAHA PAC is also planning a 15-day "get out the vote” door knocking program for Lahn, running from Oct. 21 through the Nov. 3 election.
虽然一些MAHA草根活动人士认为该运动的核心原则应当是非党派的，但其领导人已站在特朗普总统和共和党部分阵营一边。围绕该运动的竞选策略，已经出现了数月的内部争执。MAHA的政治领导人一直在努力向白宫展示，其外联工作将带来回报。如果MAHA联盟能够在11月被视为可靠的保守派投票集团，并帮助共和党保持执政地位，特朗普可能会优先考虑肯尼迪更多的议程。
While some MAHA grassroots activists think the movement’s key principles should be non-partisan, its leaders have aligned themselves with President Trump and parts of the Republican Party. There have been months of infighting over the movement’s campaign strategy. MAHA’s political leaders have been working to show the White House that its outreach will pay dividends. If the MAHA coalition can be counted on as a reliable conservative voting bloc in November and keep Republicans in power, Trump may prioritize more of Kennedy’s agenda.
为此，MAHA PAC周四表示，将花费25万美元支持现任共和党众议员佛罗里达州的安娜·保利娜·卢娜和密歇根州的汤姆·巴雷特，以及曾为共和党、现为独立人士的加利福尼亚州凯文·基利。该PAC还将资金用于支持德克萨斯州的共和党众议员候选人布兰登·赫雷拉和贾斯·亚伯罗，以及爱荷华州的乔·米切尔。在这六名候选人中，卢娜、巴雷特、赫雷拉和米切尔正处于竞争激烈的选区，这些选区的结果可能决定众议院的控制权。
To that end, MAHA PAC on Thursday said it will spend $250,000 to support incumbent GOP Reps. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Tom Barrett of Michigan, as well as Kevin Kiley, a former Republican-turned-independent in California. The PAC is also spending to support GOP House candidates Brandon Herrera and Jace Yarbrough in Texas, as well as Joe Mitchell in Iowa. Among the six candidates, Luna, Barrett, Herrera and Mitchell are in competitive races that could determine control of the lower chamber.