Trump-Backed Randy Feenstra Falls in Surprise Iowa Governor Primary Upset
Randy Feenstra, a Trump-backed candidate, conceded defeat in the Iowa Republican gubernatorial primary to Zach Lahn. Despite significant financial backing and a late endorsement from Trump, Feenstra lost by approximately 1,600 votes. Lahn's victory raises questions about the direction of the Iowa Republican Party and the effectiveness of Trump endorsements in upcoming elections.
- ▪Randy Feenstra conceded the Iowa Republican gubernatorial primary to Zach Lahn.
- ▪Feenstra had a fundraising advantage of nearly $1 million and support from prominent Iowa Republicans.
- ▪Lahn campaigned on an 'Iowa First' message and defeated Feenstra despite being outspent.
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Trump-Backed Randy Feenstra Falls in Surprise Iowa Governor Primary Upset By Ben Smith | 7:48 AM on June 03, 2026 The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) called Zach Lahn Tuesday night to concede Iowa's Republican gubernatorial primary.At his election night gathering, Feenstra told supporters: Advertisement googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display("div-gpt-300x250_2"); //googletag.pubads().refresh([gptAdSlot["div-gpt-300x250_2"]]) }); "I just called Zach Lahn, and said, 'Hey, you got to carry this torch. We got to keep this state red.
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