President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate for Iowa governor, Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra, concedes the state’s GOP gubernatorial primary to Zach Lahn, a businessman and farmer. Multiple outlets report that Feenstra’s defeat comes after Trump’s late endorsement, described in coverage as a significant factor in the contest. CBS News projects that Lahn will face Democratic nominee Rob Sand in the general election for the seat held by retiring Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Coverage across outlets notes that Lahn won a closely contested Republican primary, with figures reported by the Associated Press and cited by The Guardian: Lahn received about 38% of the vote compared with Feenstra’s about 37.2%. The Guardian and other reports frame the result as an unusual setback for Trump within the GOP primary process this cycle, even as Trump remains politically influential in the party. NBC News also characterizes Lahn as backed by the MAHA movement, contrasting the endorsements and framing the vote as a rejection of Trump’s pick by some Republican primary voters.
