Republican US Rep. Randy Feenstra officially jumps into 2026 race for Iowa governor

Randy Feenstra, the Republican U.S. congressman representing Iowa’s 4th District, is running for governor. The congressman will forgo a reelection bid to the safe Republican House seat he holds to run for the top of the ticket in Iowa. His official launch event comes after monthslong exploratory campaign spent amassing support after Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds made a surprise in April that she would not seek a third term. Republicans control the U.S. House by a razor-thin margin, but Feenstra represents Iowa’s most reliably Republican district, so losing an incumbent in the 2026 race for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District is unlikely to hurt Republicans' efforts to retain control of the U.S. House.