President Donald Trump’s unbroken streak of primary victories ended this week in Iowa as his handpicked candidate, Congressman Randy Feenstra, lost to outsider Zach Lahn in a narrow victory margin of 0.77 percent.
On Monday, Trump celebrated what he called a “perfect” record of wins during the early primaries, claiming to have “taken out many bad Political ‘Leaders’” including Rep. Thomas Massie and Georgia’s gubernatorial hopeful Brad Raffensperger. He touted a “38-0” win streak heading into the midterms.
However, Tuesday night brought an end to that streak when Zach Lahn, a sixth-generation Iowan and entrepreneur, narrowly defeated Feenstra by just 1,625 votes in an election with over 211,000 ballots cast. The margin of victory was approximately 0.77 percent.
Lahn’s win demonstrates the limits of Trump’s influence in local politics. Feenstra, who has served in Congress since 2021, holds a low constitutional voting score of 64 percent on conservative metrics. He voted against defunding the USAID program, supported sending aid to Ukraine, and reauthorized FISA, which permits surveillance of citizens.
In contrast, Lahn, a father of seven and nonprofit founder with a platform focused on agricultural monopolies, independent product safety testing, property tax reductions, confiscating land illegally owned by China, and ending H-1B visas within the state, has positioned himself as an authentic champion of Iowa’s needs. His campaign aligns with RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
The upset also reflects a growing trend among voters who prioritize policy over partisan loyalty. Lahn’s victory was endorsed by Turning Point USA, which described it as a grassroots success that will help maintain Iowa’s Republican leanings.
Lahn’s win coincides with the political legacy of former Representative Steve King, who lost his 2020 race to Feenstra by 10 points. After being falsely labeled a “white nationalist” during a smear campaign targeting his conservative record, King endorsed Lahn, calling his victory an “earthshaking upset” that shifts Iowa’s political landscape.
