Rand Paul heading back to Iowa for midterm blitz

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is heading back to Iowa in late October, The Hill has learned.

{mosads}He will stump with congressional candidate Rod Blum (R) at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls on Oct. 22 and is planning to add other events across the state to help boost Republicans in the campaign’s final stretch.

“I am proud to support Rod Blum in his bid to be the next Congressman from Iowa’s 1st District. As a small businessman, Rod understands the importance of fighting for individual freedoms and limited government, and I look forward to joining him on the campaign trail,” Paul said in a statement first obtained by The Hill.

He’s also scheduled to attend a campaign barbecue that evening for Iowa state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann (R), his father, Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann, tells The Hill. Iowa state Sen. Joni Ernst (R) is also expected to attend.

The trip is the likely presidential candidate’s first to Iowa since early August, a swing that drew mixed reviews from Republican activists in the state. Other events will be announced over the next few days, according to a Paul spokesman.

Paul has kept up a busy schedule in the early-primary states. He just returned from New Hampshire and also announced on Wednesday that he’ll be in South Carolina next week.

This post was updated at 2:00 p.m.