GOP Gov Primary Gets Messier as Feenstra Flops in Caucuses

DES MOINES – The Iowa Caucuses spotlighted Republicans’ “chaotic and competitive” gubernatorial primary as a wide-open mess, after Randy Feenstra flopped and finished a distant third in straw polls — exposing how he’s still facing major issues with his own party ahead of the June primary:

Caucus attendees spoke out against Feenstra and expressed their support for his opponents. One delegate said Feenstra is “a little awkward at times,” and that he’s “ducking everybody right now. He’s refusing to debate … And I don’t like that. You should be out there debating with everybody else, and he’s not doing it.”

Feenstra’s underwhelming performance comes as GOP activists are planning for the “very, very real possibility” of the primary going to a “contested” convention, after Feenstra was snubbed by Donald Trump in Clive last week, failed to secure the president’s endorsement, and is facing a major challenge from the conservative grassroots after bailing on events with the rest of the primary field. A petition circulating among Iowa Republicans begging Trump to endorse anyone but “absent congressman” Feenstra has garnered nearly 700 signatures.

Feenstra failed to paper over his embarrassing non-endorsement at the caucuses, telling reporters he asked for Trump’s endorsement on Air Force One and “we’re working on that.” Trump made a wave of key endorsements on Truth Social the same night of his visit in the second Congressional district and in other competitive governor’s races in neighboring Wisconsin (to one of Feenstra’s fellow House members) and in Pennsylvania, yet he still refuses to endorse Feenstra.

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