President Trump’s endorsement of Randy Feenstra is now a central issue in the Republican Party’s race for governor.
“It’s such an honor to get President Trump’s ‘complete and total endorsement,'” Feenstra said, to applause from a crowd in Norwalk shortly after Trump’s announcement. “It’s so exciting.”
Trump called Feenstra “a highly respected America First congressman” who is “MAGA all the way.” Feenstra called Trump “the greatest president” of his lifetime. “Just so proud of him being our president and what’s happening,” Feenstra said. “You know, I know there’s a lot of push back against him, but there’s so many great things that are happening. And you know what? We are a safer nation because of him.”
Trump called Feenstra on Friday to let him know the endorsement was coming. “President Trump and I have talked a lot. I flew on Air Force One with him. We are friends,” Feenstra told reporters on Friday night.
Zach Lahn said Trump “got bad advice” about Feenstra. “Let’s win this race on June 2 and then I invite President Trump to come alongside us and help win on June 3 and keep Iowa in conservative hands and fighting for the next generation,” Lahn said, to cheers from a crowd in Ankeny Sunday night.
Lahn said he and his supporters are now a “street fight” with the party’s establishment. “We are seeing person after person saying, ‘We are getting behind Zach Lahn because we have to stop the ‘establishment machine’ Randy Feenstra,” Lahn said. “…Unity does not mean uniformity,” Lahn said. “Look, we are here because we get to choose who we want to be the person to go up against Rob Sand.”
Sand is the only Democrat running for governor. His nomination will become official after tomorrow’s balloting.
Adam Steen, Brad Sherman and Eddie Andrews are the other Republicans running for governor in this year’s primary. Steen said he’s “left it all on the field” and has no regrets heading into the election. Sherman said he’s running to stop the erosion of constitutional rights. Andrews said he wants to end “Election Season” and get rid of early voting in Iowa elections.
In Iowa, a candidate must get at least 35% of the votes cast in a primary to become the party’s nominee. If none of the GOP candidates for governor reach that threshold, the nominee will be chosen by delegates at the Iowa Republican Party’s state convention on June 13.