Razor-Thin Governor Primary Snaps Trump Endorsement Streak

President Donald Trump’s successful endorsement streak came to an end in Iowa on Tuesday after Iowa farmer and businessman Zach Lahn narrowly defeated Trump-endorsed Rep. Randy Feenstra to win the Republican nomination for governor.

Lahn defeated Feenstra by less than 2,000 votes, winning 37.79% of the vote to the Republican congressman’s 37.01%. Feenstra, who entered Congress in 2021 after ousting former Rep. Steve King in the Republican primary, received Trump’s endorsement late last week. Conservative businessman Adam Steen won 15% of the vote. 

“We were outspent, opposed by the establishment, told to wait our turn. Well, tonight, the people of Iowa had something to say about that, that we’re not gonna wait anymore,” Lahn said during his victory speech. “They said Iowa doesn’t belong to the political class. They said our state does not belong to the lobbyists, special interests, and corporate giants for far too long have had way too much power in our state.”

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Lahn had the backing of the MAHA Action political action committee and the endorsement of Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point Action, while Trump endorsed Feenstra last Friday. 

“A Fourth Generation Iowan, successful Businessman, former Treasurer of Sioux County, State Senator, and now, as a distinguished U.S. Congressman, Randy has delivered strong results for the Hawkeye State,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. 

Trump’s endorsement record has proved strong in recent weeks, helping to take down numerous GOP incumbents, including Rep. Thomas Massie (Kentucky) and Senators John Cornyn (Texas) and Bill Cassidy (Louisiana). 

That streak ended with Feenstra — the first candidate Trump backed for governor, the House, or the Senate to lose a 2026 primary — who said Tuesday that he would support Lahn’s campaign against Democrat candidate Rob Sand.

“I just called Zach Lahn, and said, ‘Hey, you got to carry this torch. We got to keep this state red. We’ve got to make sure we beat Rob Sand. And I’m all in to help him out,'” he said. 

Lahn campaigned heavily on MAHA issues, promising on his campaign website to “confront the cancer crisis” by conducting “independent state safety tests on products used in Iowa,” pursuing “antitrust suits against monopolistic agricultural input companies to help our farmers,” and giving “incentives” to farmers to “address agricultural runoff and water contamination.”

Fast food chain Steak ‘n Shake entered the race last week as well, endorsing Lahn. 

“Congratulations to Zach Lahn! Voters took a stand and supported a MAHA candidate in a tight primary race,” the restaurant said Tuesday. “Steak n Shake remains undefeated in political endorsements.”

Lahn will face Sand, Iowa’s current state auditor and the most recent Democrat elected to statewide office.