Campaign Almanac: Randy Feenstra files for re-election to Congress

DES MOINES — The parade of candidates filing their official paperwork for this year’s elections continued Monday, with Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra taking his turn at the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office.

Feenstra is completing his first term representing western Iowa’s 4th Congressional District and is seeking re-election.

Feenstra’s campaign submitted more than 2,500 signatures, his campaign staff said.

KRAUSE OUT: The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed another casualty.

Burlington Democrat Bob Krause has withdrawn from the race for his party’s nomination for U.S. Senate, citing the impact of the pandemic on gathering the 3,500 signatures needed to get his name on the ballot. Senate hopefuls need 3,500 signatures with at least 100 signatures from at least 19 different counties.

Krause said he was blindsided by the impact that the pandemic had on gathering signatures.

“In the past, generating nomination petition signatures through the precinct caucuses has always generated an adequate number of signatures to qualify,” he said. “However, the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic before the precinct caucuses caused county parties to shift to Zoom caucuses where few or no signatures were gathered.”

Krause said when his first signature packets came back after the caucuses, he had about 1,400 signatures.

Krause said he will support the winner of the June 7 Democratic primary. Candidates Abby Finkenauer, Mike Franken and Glenn Hurst still are in the race.

Gazette Des Moines Bureau