By Hola Iowa
Zach Lahn defeated Trump-backed Randy Feenstra in the Republican race for governor, while Josh Turek and Ashley Hinson will face off for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Iowa’s June 2 primary election set the stage for several major November races, including a Republican upset in the governor’s race and a newly defined matchup for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Businessman Zach Lahn narrowly defeated U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra in the Republican primary for governor, despite Feenstra receiving a late endorsement from President Donald Trump. Lahn will face Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand in the general election.
In the U.S. Senate race, Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek defeated state Sen. Zach Wahls for the Democratic nomination. Turek will face Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and Libertarian Thomas Laehn in November as candidates compete to replace retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.
Lahn defeats Feenstra in Republican governor primary
Lahn, a first-time candidate, finished ahead of Feenstra in a crowded Republican field. With 99% of results reported, Lahn had 37.8% of the vote, compared with 37.0% for Feenstra, according to AP results included in election reporting.
Former state administrator Adam Steen received 14.5%, former state Rep. Brad Sherman received 7.0% and state Rep. Eddie Andrews received 3.6%.
The result was a rare defeat for a Trump-backed candidate in a high-profile race. Trump endorsed Feenstra late in the campaign, but the endorsement was not enough to move him past Lahn.
Lahn’s campaign focused on water quality, Iowa’s rising cancer rates, special interests and corporate power. He has aligned himself with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement and received support from MAHA Action PAC and Turning Point USA.
Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee for governor, did not face opposition in the primary. The November race will decide who replaces Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is not seeking another term.
Hinson and Turek will compete for Iowa’s open Senate seat
The race for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat also became clearer after the primary.
Hinson won the Republican nomination with 74.2% of the vote, defeating Jim Carlin, who received 25.9%.
On the Democratic side, Turek defeated Wahls with 62.6% of the vote to Wahls’ 37.4%.
Turek, of Council Bluffs, is a state representative and former Paralympian. He won two gold medals in wheelchair basketball with Team USA and has spoken during the campaign about being born with spina bifida and undergoing 21 surgeries before age 12.
After Turek’s win, independent election analysts shifted the Iowa Senate race into a more competitive category. Sabato’s Crystal Ball and Cook Political Report moved the race from “likely Republican” to “lean Republican,” according to election reporting.
Hinson still enters the general election with a major financial advantage, and both parties are expected to spend heavily in Iowa before November.
Key Iowa primary results
| Race | Party | Winner | November matchup or result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Republican | Zach Lahn | Will face Democrat Rob Sand |
| Governor | Democratic | Rob Sand | Uncontested in the primary |
| U.S. Senate | Republican | Ashley Hinson | Will face Josh Turek and Thomas Laehn |
| U.S. Senate | Democratic | Josh Turek | Defeated Zach Wahls |
| U.S. House District 1 | Republican | Mariannette Miller-Meeks | Will face Christina Bohannan |
| U.S. House District 1 | Democratic | Christina Bohannan | Rematch against Miller-Meeks |
| U.S. House District 2 | Republican | Joe Mitchell | Will face Lindsay James |
| U.S. House District 2 | Democratic | Lindsay James | Won a three-person primary |
| U.S. House District 3 | Republican | Zach Nunn | Will face Sarah Trone Garriott |
| U.S. House District 3 | Democratic | Sarah Trone Garriott | Uncontested in the primary |
| U.S. House District 4 | Republican | Chris McGowan | Will face Dave Dawson |
| U.S. House District 4 | Democratic | Dave Dawson | Won a three-person primary |
| Iowa House District 45 | Republican | Austin Stubbs | Defeated Rep. Brian Lohse |
| Iowa House District 60 | Republican | Dani Ollenburg | Defeated Rep. Jane Bloomingdale |
| Iowa House District 97 | Democratic | Adam Peters | Defeated Rep. Ken Croken |
Iowa congressional races take shape for November
Several Iowa congressional races are expected to draw attention in the general election.
In the 1st Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks will face Democrat Christina Bohannan in a rematch. Bohannan lost to Miller-Meeks in 2024 by about 800 votes. Reuters reported that both candidates won their primaries, setting up another race in one of Iowa’s most closely watched districts.
In the 3rd Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn will face Democratic state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott. Both were uncontested in their primaries.
In the 2nd Congressional District, Democrat Lindsay James won a three-person primary and will face Republican Joe Mitchell. The seat is open because Hinson is running for U.S. Senate.
In the 4th Congressional District, Democrat Dave Dawson won his primary and will face Republican Chris McGowan. Republicans are favored in that western Iowa district.
Three state lawmakers lose primary races
Three Iowa House lawmakers lost their primaries Tuesday night.
Republican Rep. Brian Lohse, of Bondurant, lost the nomination in Iowa House District 45 to Austin Stubbs. The district includes Bondurant, Polk City and Mitchellville in Polk County. Stubbs won 75% to 25%.
Republican Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, of Northwood, lost to Dani Ollenburg in Iowa House District 60, which includes parts of Mitchell, Worth, Cerro Gordo and Floyd counties. Ollenburg won 58% to 42%.
On the Democratic side, Rep. Ken Croken, of Davenport, lost to Adam Peters in Iowa House District 97. Peters won 63% to 37%.
The AP results cited in election reporting were updated early June 3, with 99% of results reported in several major races.
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