Key facts
- Businessman Zach Lahn won the Republican nomination for Iowa governor.
- Rep. Randy Feenstra, endorsed by Donald Trump, conceded the primary.
- State Rep. Josh Turek won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
- Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson will face Josh Turek for the U.S. Senate seat.
- Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand won the Democratic nomination for governor unopposed.
Businessman Zach Lahn has secured the Republican nomination for Iowa governor, defeating Representative Randy Feenstra, who had received an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Feenstra has since conceded the race. Lahn narrowly beat Feenstra, a well-known incumbent representing Iowa's 4th Congressional District. Feenstra had the advantage of a congressional profile, fundraising, and support from prominent Iowa Republicans, including a late endorsement from Trump. Lahn's victory is considered a significant upset and a rare loss for a Trump-endorsed candidate in the current cycle. The race for governor is expected to be competitive, with Lahn set to face Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand in November. The Cook Political Report has moved the race rating to "Toss Up," while Inside Elections rates it "Lean Republican." This outcome follows Governor Kim Reynolds' decision not to seek reelection, creating Iowa's first open gubernatorial contest since 2006. In the state's U.S. Senate race, Republican state Representative Ashley Hinson will face Democratic state Representative Josh Turek in November for the open seat. Turek, who describes himself as a "common-sense prairie populist," defeated state Senator Zach Wahls with 63.7% of the vote. He will square off against Hinson, a three-term congresswoman. Democrats are hoping to make gains in Iowa in November's midterm elections at a time when high prices have hit the state's agricultural economy hard. Turek and Hinson are running to replace Republican Joni Ernst, a two-term senator whose decision to retire from Congress has given Democrats hopes of picking up the seat. Independent analysts rate Iowa's open Senate seat as likely to remain Republican, though polling data suggests a tight race in November. Lahn centered his campaign on fighting corporate agriculture and Big Pharma, issues that resonated with a faction of Republican voters. He criticized the consolidation of farmland, opposed liability protections for pesticide manufacturers, and connected agricultural chemical use to public health concerns. Lahn pledged to take on "big ag cartels" and secure a fair deal for Iowa farmers. Trump's endorsement streak ended with Feenstra's defeat, despite Trump's previous wins in Indiana, Louisiana, and Texas primaries. Feenstra was considered the frontrunner, but Lahn, a businessman-farmer with no prior political office experience, narrowly won. The outcome in Iowa, coupled with potential bright spots for Democrats in California, highlights a mixed night for Trump's endorsements. In California, Democrat Xavier Becerra appeared headed to become his party's nominee for governor, while Republican Steve Hilton, backed by Trump, also showed strength. Businessman Zach Lahn's win in Iowa's Republican gubernatorial primary over President Donald Trump's pick, Rep. Randy Feenstra, delivered a rare electoral setback for Trump in a primary season that had previously handed him back-to-back victories. The narrow upset Tuesday revealed cracks in Trump's coalition in the deep-red state, encouraging Democrats who are hopeful they can flip control of the governor's office this year. It also marked a potential breakthrough moment for the Make America Healthy Again movement, which has clashed with the Trump administration over its embrace of pesticides and backed Lahn's message in favor of regenerative farming and against large agricultural corporations. "I will take on the big ag cartels. I will break up their monopolies, and I will get Iowa farmers a fair deal," Lahn said in his victory speech late Tuesday. Members of the MAHA movement, a diverse coalition of supporters of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with priorities ranging from ending vaccine mandates to promoting healthy soil and organic food, cheered the win as a sign their political message was resonating with voters. "This election is a signal that pro-pesticide does not mean pro-farmer," said Tony Lyons, the president of the Kennedy-aligned MAHA PAC, which endorsed Lahn. "Zach Lahn made transitioning away from toxic chemicals the cornerstone of his campaign and won this election decisively with strong farmer support." Lahn, little known before his run, carved out a MAHA fandom. Lahn, a farmer and former conservative political director, was relatively unknown in Iowa until he launched his campaign in November. During his campaign, he championed policies that appealed to Iowa's conservative grassroots supporters, like a total ban on abortion and keeping liberal ideology out of school classrooms. Lahn, who owns an investment company and lives on a farm in eastern Iowa that had been in