Randy Feenstra wins Iowa GOP primary, will face Democrat Rob Sand
Iowa Democrats seek to flip U.S. Senate seat
State Rep. Josh Turek and State Sen. Zach Wahls are jockeying for a chance to challenge the GOP U.S. Senate candidate in a key race on ‘Special Report,’ FOX Business reporter Grady Trimble reports.
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Trump-backed Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, conceded to MAHA-backed Republican Zach Lahn after polls closed Tuesday night in Iowa’s GOP gubernatorial primary.
Lahn, a farmer and businessman who campaigned with the “Iowa first” message, pulled off a surprising upset over Feenstra in the race to replace outgoing Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.
In addition to Feenstra, Lahn defeated former state Rep. Brad Sherman, former Iowa Department of Administrative Services Director Adam Steen and state Rep. Eddie Andrews in his bid to advance to the November general election and eventually the governor’s mansion.
The result was a major setback for Feenstra, who represents Iowa’s 4th Congressional District and entered Election Day as the race’s best-known Republican. Feenstra had a congressional profile, fundraising leverage, support from prominent Iowa Republicans including former Gov. Terry Branstad and a late endorsement from President Donald Trump.
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Lahn had a lead of around 1,600 votes over Feenstra shortly after midnight Eastern Time, with 99% of the votes counted, according to The Associated Press’s election tracker.
Representative Randy Feenstra speaks during Iowa’s Roast and Ride at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on October 11, 2025. (Cody Scanlan/The Register/USA Today Network)
“I just called Zach Lahn and said, ‘Hey, you’ve got to carry this torch. We’ve got to keep this state red. You’ve got to make sure you beat Rob Sand.'” “And I’m ready to help him,” Feenstra told supporters at the election night rally, according to a video recording shared by Iowas News Now reporter Skylar Tallal.
Trump endorsed Feenstra just days before the primaries, calling him “MAGA all the way” and giving him his “Complete and Complete Endorsement.” Feenstra campaigned as a close ally of the President and emphasized his support for Trump’s agenda on border security, tax cuts, energy production and agriculture.
Lahn, meanwhile, ran as an outsider candidate and received the support of MAHA Action, the political group aligned with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. His campaign website describes him as a father, farmer and businessman advancing the “Iowa First” agenda.
Republican candidate for governor of Iowa, Zach Lahn, is seen with his family in a campaign photo. (Lahn on behalf of the Governor)
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The race began after Reynolds announced he would not seek re-election, although he would run again, marking Iowa’s first open gubernatorial contest since 2006. The governor’s office has been under Republican control since 2011.
Lahn will now face Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand in November. As Iowa’s only statewide Democratic official, Sand advanced unopposed in the Democratic primary and built a political profile focused on government accountability and anti-corruption efforts.
Rob Sand, the Democratic Party’s candidate for governor of Iowa. (Rob Sand for Iowa)
Initial evaluations show that the general elections may be competitive. The Cook Political Report shifted the race from “Lean Republican” to “Lean Republican” in April, while Inside Elections rated the contest as “Lean Republican.”
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If Sand wins in November, he would be Iowa’s first Democratic-elected governor since Chet Culver’s victory in 2006.
