Less Than 30 Days Out, IA GOP Gov Primary is Messier Than Ever
DES MOINES – With less than 30 days to go until Iowa’s June 2 primary, the Republican gubernatorial race is more “unsettled,” “chaotic and competitive” than ever. Here’s where things stand:
- Last week, No-Show Randy Feenstra didn’t bother to attend the only confirmed televised debate of the primary — breaking his own promise to debate after the March 13 filing deadline passed and the field became official.
- Adam Steen and Zach Lahn both put Feenstra’s absence on blast, with Steen calling on Feenstra to commit to debates with WHO and KCCI and Lahn challenging Feenstra to “four debates, one in each congressional district.” Feenstra also skipped a candidate forum over the weekend in his own House district, which all of his opponents attended.
- This morning, Steen once again raised doubts about Feenstra’s ability to win in a general election, saying “the field needs to be consolidated” and “we do need to ensure Randy is not the nominee.”
Feenstra has been “unable to clear the primary field” after he failed to get Donald Trump’s endorsement and was snubbed by Bob Vander Plaats. In January, Fox News reported on a petition circulating among the grassroots begging Trump to endorse anyone but Feenstra. Since then, Feenstra’s “difficulty connecting” with voters has become a “persistent theme” of the wide-open race. Feenstra also finished a distant third in straw polls at the midterm caucuses — an embarrassing result for a campaign facing major “dissatisfaction” and “opposition” from his own party. It’s caused GOP activists to plan for the primary to go to a nominating convention.
From Iowa Democratic Party spokesperson Terra Hernandez:
“We’re less than 30 days out from the primary election, and Iowa’s Republican gubernatorial primary is a wide-open mess. No-Show Randy Feenstra continues dodging debates and can’t even bring himself to show up for his own constituents — let alone voters across the state — while his opponents make the case that Feenstra is totally unfit to be Iowa’s next governor. It’s clear that whoever makes it out of this crowded primary will only offer more of the failed status quo that’s put powerful insiders first and left working families behind.”
All of the Republicans are running to continue Kim Reynolds’ failed agenda:
- Feenstra was caught touting Reynolds’ endorsement on the campaign trail, despite the fact that Reynolds promised to remain neutral in the primary.
- The field has praised Reynolds’ unaccountable private school voucher program and privatizing Medicaid, and want to go even further than her six-week abortion ban. They’ve refused to speak out against Reynolds ballooning the budget deficit to fund tax breaks for powerful insiders and kneecapping Iowa’s economy.
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