One of two Republicans who hold statewide office says the attention the two major party candidates are paying to Iowa may help secure flood relief for the state. Both Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are running television advertising in Iowa this week and Iowa is considered a "battleground" state for the fall election as it went for Al Gore in 2000 and for George Bush in 2004.

Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey says being in the political spotlight is a bonus. "I think it will help," Northey says. "I do think that we’re going to get that attention, to some extent, anyway. We are the number one corn state, soybean state, hog state, egg state. Number two, overall, in gross ag receipts — $20 billion a year. We’re going to get some of that attention just because Iowa matters and ag matters, but it doesn’t hurt to be a battleground state."

Northey made his comments during an appearance on Iowa Public Television.