Pruitt’s troubles with farmers have nothing to do with his never-ending ethics scandals, and instead stem from accusations that he’s weakening an ethanol mandate that provides a lifeline to corn growers in states like Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Nebraska. But the furor in the heartland is only adding to Pruitt’s headaches at a time when conservatives like Laura Ingraham are urging President Donald Trump to fire him.

“My personal opinion is farmers are demanding accountability and I think that Mr. Pruitt probably is a dead man walking,” said Dane Hicks, the GOP chairman in Anderson County, Kan., where Pruitt stopped Tuesday. “I can’t imagine he rebounds from this in any way to salvage his position. I would expect his resignation soon.”

Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Pruitt should go if he refuses to follow Trump’s campaign pledge to protect ethanol.