Happy Election Eve!

• Today's the last day of in-person early voting.

🌧️ Weather: Rain showers, with a high of 69.

Today’s newsletter is 795 words — a 3-minute read.

If you feel like you're being inundated with TV ads, you're not imagining things — Iowa is one of the top states in the country for political spending on the U.S. Senate race.

Why it matters: In the final push, ad spending has shifted from bluer to redder states as they appear increasingly competitive, according to the nonpartisan Wesleyan Media Project.

The big picture: The Cook Political Report shifted Iowa's gubernatorial and Senate races left over the summer, and three of the four U.S. House races moved left this month.

Driving the news: Iowa's U.S. Senate race saw the biggest jump in ad spending nationwide between Sept. 28–Oct. 11 and Oct. 12-25, per Wesleyan.

• Spending rose from $41.82 million to $64.59 million over that period, a $22.77 million increase.

By the numbers: Iowa ranked fourth nationally in Senate ad spending from Oct. 12–25, at $64.59 million, behind Ohio, Texas and Michigan.

• That's approximately $4.6 million per day.
• Nearly 59% of the Iowa spending favored Democrats, compared with 41% favoring Republicans.
• Outside groups were responsible for roughly three-quarters of the spending, per Wesleyan.

What they're saying: "Following the money suggests that the Senate battleground has been changing over these past two weeks, moving away from bluer states like Georgia and North Carolina and into redder territory," Travis Ridout, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project, said in the report.

The latest: President Trump returned to Iowa yesterday as he heads to "reliably red" states to try to motivate his base.

The bottom line: It will all finally be over Tuesday (unless you're a Tulsi Gabbard billboard).

President Trump could keep a major ally in Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird or lose a vocal advocate if Democratic challenger Nate Willems wins.

Why it matters: With Republicans controlling Washington, Democratic attorneys general have become some of the most powerful challengers curtailing the president's policies on elections, tariffs and more.

• Sabato's Crystal Ball shifted Iowa's attorney general race from leans Republican to a toss-up last week.

Driving the news: Attorney general offices are on the ballot in 30 states plus D.C. and two territories, including 17 held by Democrats and 14 by Republicans.

• Meanwhile, the Democratic Attorneys General Association just announced a $5 million investment in Florida's race this month, and the party is targeting Republican-held offices in states like Kansas, Iowa and Georgia.

Zoom in: Bird has been a prominent advocate for Trump and was praised by him earlier this month during his visit to Sioux City.

• Meanwhile, Willems says he wants to move away from "national political battles," IPR reports.

The big picture: Attorneys general of both parties have become key policymakers, ones that have coordinated to not only challenge Washington, but also to regulate industry and protect consumers.

• "There's no more important elected official on the ballot than attorneys general," DAGA President Sean Rankin says. "This is the people's lawyer."

Keep reading

🏗️ DSM City Council will vote tonight on selling land for Heart of America's $24 million headquarters, rejecting a competing $200 million performing arts center proposal that city officials say lacks financing and faces major construction hurdles. (Council documents)

🐘 President Trump rallied voters in Dubuque yesterday, urging them to back Iowa GOP candidates, and warned of Democrats ushering in "socialism." (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

💵 Microsoft purchased more than 600 acres of land in Woodward for $95 million, but some local residents say they're against the company's presence and potential data center development. (KCCI)

We're familiar with the stretchy, milky center of a burrata ball for our salads or charcuterie, but Hugo's in the Drake neighborhood puts it to the ultimate test by putting it on its pizza.

What it is: Prosciutto Burrata pizza ($20) with a red sauce, shredded mozzarella, prosciutto, basil leaf, sea salt and a warm burrata ball.

What I liked: What's not to like about cheese upon cheese? This takes a fun twist on a typical Margherita pizza by adding the burrata, which adds a creamier, gooey texture to the slices.

• It's like putting a warm, yolky egg on your toast. Yum.

Pro tip: I went during the happy hour (3-6pm, Tuesday-Saturday) and paid only $10 for the pizza.

If you go: 11am-9pm, Tuesday-Saturday

• 3206 University Ave., Des Moines (inside the Meals on Wheels building)

1 thing to go: You've heard of "maxxing," but now there's a "name-maxxing" trend for new parents.

• If you're stuck between two baby names, just slap them together like Avery and Maeve into Maevery!
• (Linh + Jason = Lason? Jinh? We'll keep our names.)