The L.A. Times is reporting that President Donald J Trump's endorsed candidate in Iowa's high-stakes governor's race lost Tuesday, marking a rare defeat for a Trump-backed contender. Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra lost his bid for the party's nomination to Zach Lahn, who ran on an "Iowa First" and "Make America Healthy Again" platform. Republican strategist Jimmy Centers said the outcome exposed fractures among Republican voters, though Lahn's choice did not amount to a rebuke of Trump's politics. Centers described the primary as "emblematic of the seismic plates that make up the Republican Party in Iowa," with successful MAGA-style, traditional conservative, and conservative Christian approaches. He added that it offers a look ahead to a "post-Trump era."
The newspaper said results from Iowa, California and other late-stage primaries portend contentious fall campaigns, with control of the House and Senate in the balance. Republican strategist Matt Gorman noted that Republican primary voters are rebelling against politicians and seeking outsiders, a sentiment Trump has promoted in some races by boosting challengers over incumbents. However, in Tuesday's primaries across six states, none of the races involved Republican veterans Trump sought to oust. The L.A. Times said Trump took a more "laissez-faire" approach in other races, endorsing Feenstra only days before the primary.
Lahn will face Iowa state auditor Rob Sand, who ran uncontested for the Democratic nomination, for the seat being vacated by Gov. Kim Reynolds. The L.A. Times also reported on the race to replace Sen. Joni Ernst, where Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, backed by Trump, will face Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek. Economic issues, particularly in the agricultural sector, could dominate these races. Centers suggested Democrats' chances in Iowa might be slightly better than anticipated, despite the state's strong Republican voter registration edge.