President Donald Trump endorses U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra for Iowa governor

Four days ahead of the June 2 primary, President Donald Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra to become the Republican nominee for Iowa governor.

Trump put his support behind Feenstra in a Friday post on TruthSocial, where he said the 4th District Republican has his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”

“As your next Governor, Randy will fight tirelessly to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Champion our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Empower Ethanol, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Strengthen our incredible Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, Advance Election Integrity, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment,” Trump wrote.

Feenstra said he was “honored and humbled” to earn Trump’s endorsement, pointing to his work to advance Trump’s agenda on immigration and tax cuts in the U.S. House.

“As Governor, I will work closely with President Trump to put Iowa and America First and deliver real results for our state,” Feenstra said in a social media post. “I will continue to be the strongest supporter of President Trump and work to implement his America First agenda in Iowa.”

The presidential endorsement could be a significant boost for Feenstra ahead of the June 2 primary. He is running against four other Republicans: Zach Lahn, a businessman and farmer; former director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen; former state Rep. Brad Sherman of Williamsburg, and state Rep. Eddie Andrews of Johnston.

The crowded race means it may be difficult for one candidate to win outright in the primary. If no candidate wins by at least 35% in the primary election, the nominee will be selected at the Iowa Republican state convention by delegates.

A recent poll from JMC Analytics and Polling, conducted May 27 and 28,  found Lahn leading Feenstra with 24% to 22% among respondents, 97% of whom said they plan to vote in the GOP primary or had already voted, with 3% unsure if they would vote. Steen came in third with 15%, followed by Sherman at 8% and Andrews at 4%. More than a quarter of respondents — 27% — said they still remain undecided. The poll, which included 550 respondents, had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.18 percentage points.

Lahn also pulled ahead of Feenstra in fundraising for the first part of 2026. According to the reports filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, Lahn raised $980,152 while Feenstra raised $739,059 from Jan. 1 through May 14, though Feenstra retained an overall fundraising lead with $5.04 million over the course of the election. Lahn’s total fundraising was at $3.14 million, including a $2 million personal loan. Steen raised $497,340 , Sherman $153,541 and Andrews $15,566 in the the reporting period.

New IECDB campaign finance reports were due Friday for May 15-26, the period before the primary. As of 2:30 p.m. Friday, the only GOP gubernatorial candidate to file a report was Andrews, raising $495 in the final report.

Democrats criticized Trump’s endorsement as coming to late to help Feenstra win the primary.

“Washington sellout Randy Feenstra has spent years putting the swamp ahead of hardworking Iowans, all to score political points with Donald Trump,” Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the grassroots has made it clear they want anyone but Feenstra in this race, and this bailout comes too little too late after months of bruising Republican infighting that’s left him weakened, cash-strapped, and deeply unpopular.”

In addition to Trump, Feenstra also has touted support from high-profile Republicans including former Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer and Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig ahead of the primary. He has also been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

Though there are many elected officials rallying behind Feenstra, other influential conservative leaders and organizations have put their support behind other candidates. Turning Point Action, the political advocacy arm of Turning Point USA, endorsed Lahn Friday, who has also won support from the Make America Healthy Again PAC, which affiliates of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. founded. Additionally, Bob Vander Platts, CEO of The Family Leader, a conservative Christian organization that has played a major role in Iowa Republican presidential caucuses, announced his support of Steen for governor in February.

The winner of the GOP gubernatorial primary will face Auditor Rob Sand, who is running unopposed to become the Democratic nominee for governor, in the Nov. 3, 2026 election.