Feenstra visits Cedar Rapids food pantry amid shutdown, vows to fight food insecurity and debate GOP rivals

CEDAR RAPIDS — Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, who last week formally entered Iowa’s 2026 governor’s race, visited a southwest Cedar Rapids food pantry Tuesday to highlight how communities are stepping up as the prolonged federal government shutdown disrupts food assistance and other benefits for low-income Iowans.

Feenstra, of Hull, toured the Hames Homes Food Pantry at Summit View manufactured home community, where volunteers distribute roughly 500 to 600 bags of food weekly to families, seniors and veterans — many of whom have been affected by the halt or delay of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the shutdown.

“We have a government shutdown. It affects everybody in Iowa, and there’s such a concern. Obviously, SNAP benefits are being stopped, which is a massive problem,” Feenstra told reporters after the tour. “But here you have a private business — Hames Homes — who out of their mission, out of their belief that neighbors help neighbors, has created this wonderful food pantry over the last couple of years to help 5,000 families … and to make sure that everyone gets fed.”

Feenstra said Iowa’s 10 percent poverty rate mirrors its food insecurity levels and called the pantry an example of Iowans “helping each other” amid crisis.

“How do we reduce our poverty? How do we reduce the 10 percent? How do we make sure people don’t have food insecurity? That’s what we have to address as we move forward,” he said.

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Shutdown stalemate

Asked about congressional efforts to resolve the shutdown, Feenstra said House Republicans have “done our job,” voting for a stopgap funding, and blamed Democrats.

“They have a set of objectives they want — $1.5 trillion of extra spending,” he said. “We’re saying, ‘Hey, we just want to continue the budget that we’ve always had, the same budget that was under the Biden administration. We’re not asking for anything. We just want to open the government.’”

According to reporting by Politico, the Senate on Tuesday rejected the House-passed stopgap funding bill for the 14th time, as Congress appeared poised to break the record later in the day for the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Despite some renewed optimism from a small group of bipartisan lawmakers holding private talks, party leaders continued to trade partisan barbs.

Feenstra expressed hope that a deal could be reached by week’s end. Meanwhile, he said he and his staff were working “every day” to help constituents affected by the shutdown’s fallout.

“We’re working with Iowans to make sure that they’re taken care of,” he said. “And I just look at this food pantry as a shining example of Iowans doing what we do best — helping our neighbors.”

Pantry coordinator: ‘Open the government back up. We need help.’

Kelly Hitchman, the pantry’s community coordinator, said the need has surged as the shutdown drags on.

“We have a lot of seniors, we have a lot of veterans, we have a lot of single moms and dad families that are struggling right now, especially with the government shutdown, and they just need that little bit of extra support,” she said.

The pantry serves Hames Homes communities in Grand View and Summit View, which together account for about 2 percent of Cedar Rapids’ population, Hitchman said.

The pantry has relied heavily on donations from companies such as Tyson Foods, Quaker Oats and Bimbo Bakeries to meet demand.

The Summit View food pantry was created through a partnership between Hames Homes, the nonprofit United We March Forward and the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP). It receives most of its food through HACAP and donations from companies including Quaker Oats, General Mills and the Hames family. Hitchman said the pantry currently benefits nearly 4,000 people a month, Hitchman said.

“There’s just a lot of people donating right now that’s really helping,” she said.

Still, she said many residents live “paycheck to paycheck,” and the pantry’s deliveries make a difference between eating or going hungry.

She praised Feenstra’s visit as a chance to elevate the community’s needs.

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“He seems like he’s going to be someone that’s going to fight for us … and hopefully get the government back open,” she said.

Her message to Congress was simple: “Democrats, stop fighting us. Open the government back up. We need help.”

Senate Democrats have insisted that any government funding package include renewed subsidies under the Affordable Care Act because without those subsidies, millions of Americans will face steep premium hikes if the aid expires.

Democrats and advocacy groups also have criticized Feenstra for backing the GOP’s sweeping tax-and-spending plan that would make permanent many provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The measure also includes deep cuts to Medicaid, new work requirements and cost-sharing fees for many recipients. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the plan would cause roughly 10.9 million people to lose health insurance by 2034.

It is also projected to slash federal spending on SNAP food assistance by an estimated $187 billion over the next 10 years by expanding and tightening work requirements, shifting some program costs to states, and narrowing eligibility for certain immigrant groups.

Feenstra says he’ll debate GOP opponents

Feenstra, who represents western Iowa’s conservative 4th Congressional District, last week launched his campaign for governor pledging to make Iowa “the most business- and agriculture-friendly state in the country.” He has called for freezing property taxes, improving education and health care access, and retaining young workers.

Pressed Tuesday about the timing of his announcement — which came a month into the federal shutdown — Feenstra said he wanted to spend the summer traveling and listening before launching.

“When you want to become governor of this state, you also have to understand all the different opportunities and concerns that exist,” he said. “Every area is different … and I wanted to make sure traveling the whole state, talking to Main Street, talking to families, talking to agricultural organizations about what are the issues.”

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Feenstra’s willingness to debate his Republican primary opponents has drawn scrutiny after a recent appearance on conservative radio host Simon Conway’s show. When Conway asked if he was willing to debate other GOP candidates, Feenstra responded, “I’ll tell you what, Simon. We’ll be working it out over the next several months and see how that all plays out.” Conway interrupted to call it a “horribly political answer” and pressed him for a yes or no. Feenstra deflected.

On Tuesday, Feenstra said he would participate in debates, saying “sure” when asked if he would engage with his rivals in the race.

“We’ll debate. Sure,” he told reporters.

Feenstra is one of four Republicans seeking their party’s nomination as the Iowa gubernatorial candidate. The other three are state legislator Eddie Andrews, of Johnston, former state lawmaker Brad Sherman, of Williamsburg, and Adam Steen, of Runnells, former director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services.

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Critics have accused Feenstra of being hard to find and slow to engage with voters. Feenstra brushed aside those concerns, instead pointing to his policy agenda.

“For me, I just want to take the state to new heights,” he said, listing his priorities of economic growth, “world-class education,” retaining graduates through career opportunities, and ensuring “affordable, quality health care.”

Conservative radio host backs Steen in gubernatorial race

Conservative commentator Steve Deace on Tuesday endorsed primary rival Steen, calling him “the only candidate with the conviction, courage, and backbone to stand up to the political establishment and fight for Iowa’s future.”

Deace, host of The Steve Deace Show on BlazeTV and a nationally recognized Christian conservative voice, said Steen “doesn’t run from our heritage or evangelical base but rather stands with it.” He praised Steen’s faith-driven leadership, adding, “Adam will move Iowa forward in the same bold, unapologetic direction as President Trump, putting faith, family, and freedom back at the center of public life.”

Steen said he was honored by the endorsement.

“Steve has never been afraid to speak the truth and neither have I,” he said in a statement. “We’re done with career politicians who talk conservative at home and vote establishment in Des Moines or D.C. Iowa deserves leaders who fear God more than the lobbyists and who answer to the people, not the political machine.”

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