DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa Republicans saw contested primaries in all four congressional races. The biggest news of the evening was in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, where State Senator Randy Feenstra upset incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve King.
State Rep. Ashley Hinson won her primary in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, State Senator Marianette Miller-Meeks won in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, and former U.S. Rep. David Young won in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District.
Iowa 1st Congressional District:
Hinson defeated Thomas Hansen in a two-way primary. She will challenge U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
- Ashley Hinson – 77.8 percent (37,554)
- Thomas Hansen – 21.9 percent (10,583)
“I’m honored to be the Republican Nominee for Congress in Iowa’s First Congressional District,” said Hinson. “The election in November will be a clear choice. Do we want to get the government out of the way and give our workers the tools they need to get our economy roaring again, or do we want to pursue a liberal agenda of higher taxes and more regulations?”
Hinson continued, “I’m ready to tackle the issues that really matter to Iowa families — reforming our broken healthcare system, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, securing our border and putting money back in the pockets of hard-working Iowans. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents are all invited to join my team. Together, we can send Iowa common sense to Washington.”
Iowa 2nd Congressional District:
Miller-Meeks defeated former U.S. Rep. Bobby Schilling in a hotly contested five-way primary. She will face former State Senator and Lt. Gubernatorial candidate Rita Hart who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
- Mariannette Millier-Meeks – 47.5 percent (22,682)
- Bobby Schilling – 36.4 percent (17,356)
- Steven Everly – 5.8 percent (2,769)
- Rick Philips – 5.1 percent (2,413)
- Tim Borchardt – 4.9 percent (2,337)
Miller-Meeks made the following statement:
I’d like to begin by thanking my fellow Republicans in this race, Tim Borchardt, Steve Everly, Rick Phillips, and Bobby Schilling. Offering your name for public service and submitting yourself to a grueling campaign is not easy. We do it not for own ambitions but because we believe America is worth it. In the days ahead, I look forward to us working together and turning our focus to November. To their supporters whose vote I have yet to earn, I want you to know I expect to work hard to earn your support and trust.
When I started this campaign in October, I thought it would be about reforms to health care, economic opportunities, immigration, trade deals and fighting to keep the American Dream alive. But over its course, like you, we’ve encountered something unprecedented: a crippling pandemic. I’ve met with farmers, teachers, business owners, and employees whose lives have been turned upside down because of a virus. Markets have disappeared, businesses and schools have closed, and workers have become jobless. People’s dreams, years of hard work, and savings have been wiped out, and all parents have become homeschool teachers. To those who feel knocked down, counted out, and have been told to give up, tonight’s win is for you.
When I was 15, I was severely burned in a kitchen fire. During my hospitalization, my caretakers inspired me to become a doctor. In a family with eight kids, my parents didn’t have the means to send me to college, so I decided to set out on my own. I left home at 16, got a job, enrolled in community college, and worked my way through school. At 18, I enlisted in the U.S. Army and served a total of 24 years and retired as a lieutenant colonel. I became a nurse and eventually graduated from medical school and became a physician. After I served as president of the Iowa Medical Society, Governor Branstad asked me to lead the Iowa Department of Public Health. You see, I never gave up on my American dream. I never quit believing that tomorrow can better than yesterday.
As I continue to travel this district, I see that same hope and inspiration in countless Iowans. Throughout all of this adversity, I have been inspired by the small acts of heroism displayed by Iowans. They’ve delivered meals to the vulnerable, sheltered in their homes to protect others, and have been innovative in meeting the demand for medical equipment. This never-quit attitude has helped us endure a worldwide pandemic that we could have never imagined. Iowa’s never-quit attitude is needed in Congress now more than ever before.
Our opponent preaches ‘a return to normal,’ but there is nothing normal about socialism. There is nothing normal about abolishing employer-provided health insurance. There is nothing normal about raising taxes on middle-class families. There is nothing normal about leaving our borders wide open, especially during a devastating pandemic. There is nothing normal about bowing down to China. The Democrats’ old and tired policies and ideas have failed. They rob you of your liberty and individuality and they are heartless.
We need a return to greatness that harnesses our past and can only be achieved by reopening America to the future. Returning to the same principles and ideals that built the greatest economy in the world. We need a safe and sound re-opening: safe for our workers and sound for our economy so that we can rebuild, just as we do after every flood or tornado. We need skills trainings and apprenticeships to prepare us for the jobs of the future, which may yet be unknown. We need to reform our health care system to make it affordable and accessible, but one where you have choices. We need fair trade deals that allow our farmers, producers and manufactures to compete internationally. And we need to prepare ourselves for the next pandemic. As a doctor, military veteran, public health official and mother, I stand ready to go to work for you.
Throughout my entire life, I have never quit fighting for the American Dream, I have never quit fighting for what I believe in and I have never quit fighting for you. It’s not just about being for the little guy, it’s about being the little guy and making sure that every other little guy’s voice is heard loud and clear.
Winston Churchill said ‘Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.’ I refuse to stand by and watch the heartless policies of my opponent. We must reopen America to the future. I will never quit fighting for your American dream, I will never quit fighting for Iowa and I will never quit fighting for you. Join us in this campaign, and we will reopen America and return to greatness together!”
Iowa 3rd Congressional District:
Young defeated Bill Schafer and will face U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, for a rematch after losing to her in 2018. Axne ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
- David Young – 69.6 percent (38,649)
- Bill Schafer – 30 percent (16,649)
Young released his remarks in a video:
Iowa 4th Congressional District:
Feenstra topped King in a five-way primary that drew over 80,000 voters. He will face J.D. Scholten, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
- Randy Feenstra – 45.6 percent (36,797)
- Steve King – 35.9 percent (28,977)
- Jeremy Taylor – 7.8 percent (6,295)
- Bret Richards – 7.4 percent (5,983)
- Steve Reeder – 3.1 percent (2,463)
“I am truly humbled by the outpouring of support over the past 17 months that made tonight possible, and I thank Congressman King for his decades of public service. As we turn to the General Election, I will remain focused on my plans to deliver results for the families, farmers and communities of Iowa. But first, we must make sure this seat doesn’t land in the hands of Nancy Pelosi and her liberal allies in Congress. Tomorrow, we get back to work,” Feenstra said in a released statement.