In Iowa, laid-back Bob has won the state fair's butter-carving contest 15 years running; his tightly-wound and hard-charging wife Laura sees Bob becoming governor, so when the contest organizers ask him to step aside so others can win, she's incensed, and when Bob won't protest, she decides to enter herself.
In the county contest, she's up against African-American foster child Destiny and Brooke, a prostitute Bob hasn't paid. When things don't go Laura's way, she enlists the help of old boyfriend Boyd. Also involved as things heat up at the state fair are Laura's stepdaughter and Destiny's foster parents.