Siouxland Chamber of Commerce President Chris McGowan running for Congress

SIOUX CITY — The race for Iowa's Fourth Congressional District had perhaps its biggest announcement yet Wednesday morning as Siouxland Chamber of Commerce President Chris McGowan declared he is running in the 2026 Republican primary.

McGowan, 58, made the announcement at the longtime Sioux City business Novelty Machine and Supply with a campaign slogan of "America First, Iowa Always." He's looking to succeed Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, who is now eyeing the governorship.

  Buy Photo

Since 2011, McGowan's served as president of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce and The Siouxland Initiative which are focused on promoting the economic interests and workforce development of the tristate region of northwest Iowa, northeast Nebraska and southeast South Dakota. He joined The Siouxland Initiative, the Chamber's economic development arm, in 2003. He serves as chair of the statewide Iowa Chamber Alliance as well.

"I spent the last 20-plus years promoting northwest Iowa and fighting for my community," McGowan said prior to the event at Novelty Machine and Supply. "I am eager to bring that same commitment and determination to Washington on behalf of our hardworking families, farmers and small-business owners."

In his role as president of the Chamber and The Siouxland Initiative, McGowan has worked to bring capital investment to the Sioux City metro. As a part of that, he's met and held events with the congressional delegations for the three respective parts of the metro as well as the governors for Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

McGowan also has led the Siouxland Chamber's annual trip to Washington, D.C. to lobby on behalf of regional interests such as the 185th Air Refueling Wing which has 1,400 full-time and part-time positions and brings in millions of dollars in economic activity. McGowan himself joined the 185th in 1990 and later served as an intelligence officer for the unit. He also spent time in flight school at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas, but was dismissed from the program for "failing to demonstrate sufficient proficiency flying 'Fighter Formation' in the supersonic T-38 aircraft."

"I am proud of our work to bring both jobs and investment to our community," McGowan said. "I am pleased with what we have achieved thus far and confident that by working together, we will continue to accomplish great things for our corner of the Great State of Iowa."

Previous experience with Republican politics

Describing himself as a "fiscal and social conservative," McGowan has been a political consultant for GOP candidates running for Congress, the Iowa Legislature, the Sioux City Council, the Sioux City Community School Board and the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors. (When McGowan took his current job in 2011, he told The Sioux City Journal at the time that he would step away from Republican politics, which he had been heavily involved with in the preceding two decades.)

In late 2024, McGowan was reported as being a potential candidate for Iowa's lieutenant governor following the departure of Adam Gregg. Ultimately the job went to former State Sen. Chris Cournoyer who is running for state auditor in 2026.

For his run for the seat in Iowa's most-conservative congressional district, McGowan has put together a team that includes Sam Clovis, a former national co-chair for President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign. A Hinton, Iowa native, Clovis ran in the 2014 U.S. Senate race that was ultimately won by Joni Ernst.

Joining Clovis on McGowan's team are: Brian Miller, the former wing commander of the 185th Air Refueling Wing and an Iowa co-chair for Trump in 2016; Chris Hupke, a Cherokee, Iowa native and Fourth District field director for Trump in 2016 and a campaign manager for former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem in 2022; Mike Thom, a Cambridge, Iowa native and founder of the national political consulting firm the 515 Group; and Katie Delzell, a Sioux City native who served as national finance director to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana.

"President Trump carried Iowa by over 13 points and won 35 of 36 counties in the 4th Congressional District in 2024," McGowan said. "As a result, his 'America First' agenda for strong national defense, secure borders, and rebuilding the American economy, while eliminating wasteful spending, must be aggressively supported."

The race for Iowa's Fourth Congressional still is coming into focus. On the Republican side, State Sen. Lynn Evans of Aurelia has launched an exploratory committee. Kevin Virgil, who challenged Feenstra in the 2024 primary and garnered nearly 40 percent of the vote, has previously talked about running 2026 but has made no formal declaration.

The Democratic Party in the Fourth District is now looking for a candidate as Ryan Melton, who ran against Feenstra in 2022 and 2024, announced last week that he was suspending his 2026 campaign.

McGowan was raised in Sioux City and presently lives on a small farm in southern Plymouth County with his wife of 26 years, Cathleen. They have six children, several of whom are presently serving in the armed forces. McGowan graduated from Sioux City's Bishop Heelan High School in 1985. While there he was elected student body president.

He then attended St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota and earned a bachelor's degree with majors in government and management. During his college tenure he interned for Iowa's Sixth District Rep. Fred Grandy.