3 Iowa Republican gubernatorial hopefuls address Christian conservative group

CUMMING — Banning medication abortion and eliminating residential property taxes were among the policy proposals pitched Thursday night by three Republican candidates for Iowa governor at a gathering of Christian conservatives, a critical voting bloc in the state party.

The three Iowa Republican gubernatorial hopefuls also highlighted their previous election wins, their appreciation for President Donald Trump and their religious conviction at the event hosted by the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition and attended by more than 100.

And the candidates — state legislators Mike Bousselot of Ankeny and Eddie Andrews of Johnston, and Williamsburg pastor Brad Sherman — also frequently warned against the presumed front-runner to be Iowa Democrats’ nominee.

Randy Feenstra, a Western Iowa Congressman who also is running for governor, did not attend the event. Feenstra told organizers he had a previous commitment.

Iowa will have an open-seat election for governor in 2026; Republican incumbent Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has held the job since 2017, announced earlier this year she will not seek re-election to another four-year term.

Two Democrats are running for governor: state auditor Rob Sand and political consultant Julie Stauch. Sand, the only statewide elected Democrat in Iowa, is widely considered the favorite to earn the party’s nomination.

During a question-and-answer session conducted by a Faith and Freedom Coalition leader at Thursday night’s event, the candidates were asked about property rights, abortion, property taxes, and electability, among other topics.

“I thought all three did a nice job tackling the issues that are on the hearts and minds of Iowans. They gave real answers,” Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition President Steve Scheffler said. “I think the crowd learned a lot, and I know did, too.”

Property rights and eminent domain

The property rights question showed a slight divide among the three Republican candidates. During the 2025 legislative session, majority Republicans were unsuccessful in their attempt to tackle property rights, eminent domain and carbon capture pipelines because of divisions within the party.

Bousselot managed the proposal favored by Senate Republican leadership; that proposal failed to pass the Senate in the final days of the session when 13 Republicans voted against it.

Andrews voted for the House Republicans’ proposal, which Sherman — a former state lawmaker — said Thursday night that he supported. That version is what ultimately passed the Senate, but it was vetoed by Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.

“It’s common sense to avoid the use of eminent domain and we don’t do enough to protect property rights today,” Bousselot said. “That (Senate Republican leaders’) bill, that approach and what we need to do and address it next session, is to protect property rights for all landowner types.”

Abortion

Just more than one year after the enactment of a new state law that bans abortions once an embryo’s cardiac activity can be detected, Andrews and Sherman said they believe more can be done to restrict abortions in Iowa.

Andrews and Sherman both advocated for restricting access to medication abortions, and both said they support the belief that life begins at conception.

Bousselot highlighted his votes for the abortion restrictions and a bill that will require Iowa students in grades 5-12 specific instruction and visual materials, including a video, on pregnancy and fetal development. He also said more steps should be taken to “protect life” and “defund Planned Parenthood,” although he did not offer specifics.

“The majority of the abortions now are done through the abortion pill, and that’s what I believe we need to address (as) the very next thing,” Andrews said.

Property taxes

All three gubernatorial hopefuls expressed an urgent need to address Iowans’ property taxes, which largely fund local governments and schools.

Addressing property taxes was another legislative effort that fell short during the 2025 session.

Bousselot and Andrews said their respective campaigns are working on proposals to phase out and ultimately eliminate residential property taxes in Iowa.

The total amount of property taxes collected in Iowa in the 2023-2024 state budget year — the most recent for which state data is available — increased 6.8 percent of the previous year, the highest one-year jump in more than 20 years, according to the state data.

Iowa’s total property tax collections have increased by an average of 4.3 percent annually since 1977-1978 and ranged between a 1 percent reduction in 1996-1997 and a high of 10.6 percent in 1980-1981, according to Iowa Department of Management data.

Sherman said he agrees with the desire to eliminate residential property taxes, but cautioned such a transition would need to be done “thoughtfully” so as to not disrupt local services like infrastructure and public safety and called for a “serious auditing” of local government spending.

“I, too, have been crunching some numbers on a plan. But if these numbers won’t work, it’s just political rhetoric,” Sherman said.

Electability

When asked to make the case for why they would be the Republican candidate most likely to win the general election in 2026, Andrews and Bousselot stressed their statehouse election victories in competitive districts. Sherman noted that he declared his candidacy before Reynolds announced she will not seek re-election, which he said speaks to his “confidence and clarity and purpose.”

Iowa’s 2026 primary election is June 2.

Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com

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