While I think Iowa is a state vastly overrated in its political importance, it is still more important than Washington, DC and the chattering political class is jealous.
By running a negative story on a rural state Democrat now and then, the WaPo can pretend they are actually journalists.
You are mis-perceiving the class difference/grievance here. Actually, the chattering class in DC pays $5/dozen for those range-free eggs (and won’t eat any other kind). Range-free eggs are a kind of holy grail among the foodies of this class. They’d perceive anyone who’d refuse them as a gift to be a low-life idiot, regardless of party affiliation.