Sarah McCammon

You might think all that political activity in places like Iowa, Ohio and Florida would be great news for the local economy. But campaign spending isn't trickling down to the local level.

Some farmers in the Midwest are planting crops earlier than usual because of hot weather. But there's a risk of losing it all if a spring freeze hits.

Presidential candidates and their teams spend a lot of money every four years in Iowa, from pizza delivery to TV ads. But the long-term economic benefits are what really matters to the state.