With the first Republican presidential debate Thursday and less than six months to go until the Iowa caucuses, lots of voters will soon be taking their first serious look at the wide field of candidates. Given Iowa’s first-in-the-nation status and reliance on corn production, candidates may be tempted to trumpet their support for ethanol subsidies and the renewable fuel standard. That would be a mistake.

It shouldn’t be hard for Republicans to oppose ethanol handouts. All they need to say is, “The president should do what’s best for the country, not what’s best for Iowa. Government shouldn’t be in the business of picking winners and losers, and that’s exactly what the ethanol mandate does. If ethanol subsidies are good for Iowa, then Iowa should do them on their own.”