Farm Bill Has Become a Midterm Flash Point

On the road to winning Iowa's Republican Senate primary, state senator Joni Ernst opposed the five-year farm bill passed by Congress. Now, her stance on the legislation has become the focus of attacks from her Democratic opponent in the general election, Rep. Bruce Braley.

One of the few bipartisan measures passed by Congress this year, the farm bill recently has cropped up on the campaign trail as a partisan flash point.

Democrats in at least five other battleground states in this year's tight contest to determine control of the Senate are highlighting their support for the bill while many GOP candidates are saying Congress missed an opportunity to overhaul costly food-stamp and farm programs