Iowa Down Ballot podcast: Lahn upsets Feenstra. What happened?

Jun 06, 2026 | 12:18 pm ET

By Kathie Obradovich

Iowa Down Ballot podcast: Lahn upsets Feenstra. What happened?

Zach Lahn upset U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra on June 2, 2026, for the GOP nomination for governor. He is seen here with his family at the Iowa Secretary of State's office March 13, 2026. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Iowa Down Ballot with Dave Price 6/6/26 by Iowa Writers Collaborative

We’re back with Kathie Obradovich of Iowa Capital Dispatch and Laura Belin of Bleeding Heartland to break down the results of Iowa’s 2026 primary election, and it definitely didn’t all go to plan.

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With the 2026 Iowa primary election in the books, Dave Price, Laura Belin and I zoom in on Zach Lahn’s upset victory in the Republican gubernatorial primary. We hash over what happened and what it means for the general election matchup against Democrat Rob Sand. Listen here.

The Iowa Down Ballot Podcast with Dave Price is a production of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Please consider a paid subscription today to help us cover production costs, or moving up to the benefactor level — or sending a gift subscription to a friend — if you’re already a paid subscriber. And please spread the word to friends who might enjoy the podcast. Thanks!