As President Donald Trump prepares for a visit to Iowa on Tuesday, a grassroots organization known as MAGA United is urging him to refrain from endorsing any candidate in the state’s gubernatorial race—at least for the time being.
During his visit, Trump is expected to discuss economic issues and promote his administration’s policies. However, some conservative activists have expressed concerns that he may back Rep. Randy Feenstra, a Republican and one of Trump’s supporters. Feenstra has recently experienced a surge in fundraising, gathering $4.3 million from roughly 2,000 individual donors throughout his seven-month campaign, emphasizing the real essence of the MAGA movement.
The outcome of the Iowa gubernatorial election in November will hold significant importance for the upcoming presidential election cycle, drawing national focus to Des Moines leading into the Iowa caucuses aimed at seeking a successor to Trump.
Feenstra, currently in his third term in the House, has depicted himself as a staunch ally of Trump. In a recent editorial, he highlighted Trump’s contributions to Iowans during his first year in office. He has also garnered endorsements from several notable Iowa Republicans, including Iowa Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer, Sen. Joni Ernst, and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
Cournoyer has praised Feenstra, stating, “Randy Feenstra embodies Iowa values like fiscal responsibility and support for farmers and rural communities. I proudly support him for governor because of his commitment to serving Iowa.”
Feenstra’s campaign spokesperson, Billy Furst, emphasized that Feenstra is the only candidate in Iowa’s gubernatorial race actively supporting Trump and has voted in favor of implementing Trump’s America First policies.
With Feenstra leading in the gubernatorial race, he joined Trump on Air Force One for his visit to Des Moines. This marks Feenstra’s second trip on the aircraft in about six months—the previous occasion was when Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cut, which Feenstra helped to shepherd through the House.
Furst pointed out Feenstra’s collaborative achievements with Trump, emphasizing his support in securing borders and advancing energy production in Iowa. “This represents true conservative leadership, and Rep. Feenstra will continue to align with the president to counter the radical left and maintain Iowa as a Republican stronghold,” he said.
Yet, some Iowa conservatives express skepticism towards Feenstra’s outreach to Trump, believing he doesn’t necessarily align with conservative priorities. In response, MAGA United has initiated an online petition, titled “No Support for Feenstra,” which has already collected over 250 signatures from influential Iowa Republicans.
The petition asserts that keeping Trump out of the primary process would help maintain a fair and open race entirely determined by the people of Iowa.
Signed by prominent figures like Iowa Representative Jason Gearhart, Cass County Republican Rep. Fritz Beyer, and others, the petition reflects their concerns about Trump’s potential endorsement overshadowing genuine grassroots efforts in the Republican primary.
Gearhart shared his belief, stating that the Iowa Republican Party should independently select its candidates without outside interference from Washington, D.C. He expressed uncertainty about Feenstra, citing conversations with constituents who described him as somewhat disengaged.
Duggan, a candidate for the Muscatine school board, noted that while she does not harbor negative feelings for Feenstra, his style of governance does not resonate with current needs in Iowa. She articulated her intent to let the Iowa populace determine which candidate best represents their families’ interests.
It remains to be seen how influential this petition will be in swaying Trump’s potential endorsement of Feenstra. So far, Trump has not commented publicly on either Feenstra or the petition, and his stance on supporting Feenstra in the upcoming campaign remains unclear.
