U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra confirms intent to ‘explore’ campaign for Iowa governor

Three-term Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra has confirmed his intention to "explore running for governor of Iowa" one day after The Journal and other outlets reported he had filed paperwork for "Feenstra for Governor" with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.

"Since Gov. Reynolds announced her decision not to seek re-election, Iowans from every corner of the state and walk of life have asked me to run," Feenstra said in a statement. "The outpouring of encouragement and my desire to continue giving back to our great state has brought me to today's announcement. I want to thank Governor Reynolds for her strong, conservative leadership for Iowa."

Reynolds announced last month she would not seek a third term, which paves the way for the first Republican gubernatorial primary to not feature an incumbent since 2006.

Feenstra, who represents the deep-red 4th Congressional District, joins former state Rep. Brad Sherman, who officially announced in February, and state Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, who has launched an exploratory committee. A handful of other Republicans — including Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, House Speaker Pat Grassley and Rep. Bobby Kaufmann — have indicated an interest in running but have not taken formal steps.

With Feenstra focusing on a governor's race, the 4th District race for 2026 likely will be wide open. In the 2024 GOP primary, Sutherland resident Kevin Virgil ran against Feenstra and garnered nearly 40 percent of the vote. Virgil has repeatedly talked about a 2026 bid.

On the Democratic side, Webster City insurance manager Ryan Melton, who lost to Feenstra by wide margins in the past two elections, announced last week he will seek the Democratic nomination for a third time.

As of now, State Auditor Rob Sand is the only Democratic candidate to announce for the governor's race.