Iowa
‘This is the grassroots.’ Iowans gather to caucus ahead of midterms
Watch US Rep. Randy Feenstra make his case to be Iowa’s next governor
Fourth District Congressman Randy Feenstra talked to Iowa Caucusgoers Monday, Feb. 2, as he campaigned for governor.
U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra rallied Republicans at a West Des Moines caucus site Monday, Feb. 2, as both parties work to get organized ahead of a competitive midterm election year.
His stop at the Stilwell Junior High caucus site was Feenstra’s first of several planned visits across Polk and Dallas counties, and he touted his work in the state Legislature and in Congress as he appealed to some of his party’s most active members.
“This last year has just been amazing working with President Trump and making sure that we take America first,” he told the group. “I was on Air Force One last week. We were talking about this — making sure that we continue lowering taxes, to make sure that we lower prices at the gas pump and our groceries and all this other stuff.”
Republicans and Democrats held their Iowa Caucuses Feb. 2 at locations across the state.
For Feenstra and other candidates facing a June 2 primary election, this year’s caucuses presented a chance to elevate their name recognition among key party activists, gather signatures to get on the ballot and recruit supporters as they look to break away from the pack.
Especially in years when there is no presidential nomination, the caucuses are about getting the parties organized, submitting planks to be included in their platforms, persuading people to sign up as delegates and getting them to commit to being involved with their local party apparatus.
Feenstra is one of five candidates running for the Republican Party’s gubernatorial nomination. The others include state Rep. Eddie Andrews, businessman Zach Lahn, former state Rep. Brad Sherman and former Department of Administrative Services director Adam Steen.
At Stilwell Junior High, each of the remaining four gubernatorial candidates had a supporter designated to speak on their behalf.
Representatives also spoke in favor of Republican U.S. Reps. Zach Nunn, who is seeking reelection to the 3rd District, and Ashley Hinson, who is running to replace Joni Ernst in the U.S. Senate.
For candidates, Iowa Caucuses are a chance to engage with the grassroots
Feenstra told reporters that he was excited to engage with the grassroots of his party.
“This is the time where the Republican Party gets together, talks about policy, and talks about how we’re going to make sure that we keep this state red, making sure that we don’t get extreme liberals running this great state,” he said. “So that’s what’s happening today, and I’m so excited. This is the grassroots. These are the people that door knock. They put out the signs and everything like that. So it’s fun to be a part of it.”
Laura Ridgway, a 65-year-old West Des Moines resident who caucused Monday, said she feels a responsibility to come.
“How can you complain about your government if you’re not willing to participate and create change or at least listen?” she said.
She said she likes what she knows about Feenstra, but she’s also interested in Steen. She knows Steen has been endorsed by conservative media personality Steve Deace and respects his recommendation.
Mostly, she said, she wants a governor who can keep the state “in line with Christian values.”
Dale Helling spoke in favor of Steen at the Stilwell caucus site Monday after meeting him at a recent fundraiser and coming away “super impressed.”
He likes that Steen has experience in both the private and government sectors, and he thinks Steen would stack up against Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand “very well” in a potential debate.
“I think he’s our best candidate, quite honestly,” Helling said.
He said he’ll vote for whoever ends up winning the primary, but now he’s disappointed that Feenstra isn’t engaging more with the GOP primary field.
“I think Randy might be a little awkward at times,” Helling said. “And quite honestly, I’m not happy — I can see why he’s doing it — but he’s ducking everybody right now. He’s refusing to debate. He probably has the lead right now because of name recognition, and he has more money. So he’s choosing really not to engage. And I don’t like that. You should be out there debating with everybody else, and he’s not doing it.”
Feenstra has increasingly come under fire from party activists for opting out of forums and events that feature his primary opponents, including a Jan. 27 debate in Des Moines.
That debate was the same day Trump visited Iowa, and Feenstra said he was flying to and from Des Moines on Air Force One with Trump and couldn’t attend the event.
Feenstra told reporters he asked Trump for his endorsement on that flight, and he hopes to earn the president’s support this primary cycle. So far, the president has not waded into Iowa’s gubernatorial race, although he has made endorsements in three of the state’s four congressional districts.
Some underdog candidates organize with an eye to possible contested convention
In Iowa, if a candidate in a primary race can’t clear 35% of the vote, the nominee is selected by a group of delegates at the party’s convention.
The selection of those delegates begins on caucus night, with volunteers offering to serve first at the county level, then the district and ultimately the state level.
It’s a possibility for which some groups and campaigns were actively preparing as they went into caucus night.
Chuck Hurley, vice president of Christian conservative organization The Family Leader, has encouraged his group’s supporters to attend their caucuses by reminding them in a series of emails that they could play an outsized role in selecting the party’s nominee for governor if a convention becomes a reality.
“For me, it’s just simple math,” he told the Des Moines Register. “If you have four, five, you know, six candidates in a race, you start dividing up the vote, because they each have people that support them.”
The Steen campaign said they were also preparing for the possibility by making connections with key activists and encouraging them to caucus and become delegates.
“We want to be very active at caucus, because we know if this thing does go to convention, we want people represented at state convention who will support Adam Steen,” said Rob Peters, Steen’s campaign manager.
The selection of a nominee at convention is relatively rare, but the process is far different than an open election and can give way to unpredictable results based on the preferences of those delegates who happen to be serving.
In 2014, David Young won the Republican nomination in the 3rd District congressional race after finishing in fifth place in the primary election and after five rounds of voting at the convention. He later went on to win the general election.
Currently, Feenstra is viewed as the race’s frontrunner. He is a sitting congressman with a large war chest, high name recognition among potential voters and a network of high-profile supporters.
It would be a significant upset if he were unable to hit the 35% benchmark. But so far, Feenstra has been unable to clear the primary field.
Billy Fuerst, a spokesperson for Feenstra, said the campaign is not worried about the possibility of a contested convention.
He noted the campaign’s most recent fundraising report, which showed Feenstra easily leading the GOP field with $4.3 million in fundraising — more than the rest of the Republican field combined.
“We have the resources to win. We have the message to win. And our polling also confirms Congressman Feenstra is the commanding frontrunner in this primary election,” Fuerst said. “And again, he will be nominated in June to be the Republican nominee for governor of Iowa, and he will defeat extreme liberal Rob Sand with his common-sense conservative message.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. She writes about campaigns, elections and the Iowa Caucuses. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on X at @brianneDMR.
An Iowa women’s basketball transfer portal visitor committed to one of the Hawkeyes’ conference foes instead. Former Iowa State guard Kenzie Hare took a visit to Iowa during her transfer portal recruitment, but the 5-foot-9 guard committed to Indiana on Sunday night.
Hare had several visits throughout her transfer portal recruiting process, including trips to Michigan and Illinois State, but the Des Moines Register’s Chad Leistikow reported that Hare also visited Iowa.
On3’s Talia Goodman reported Hare’s commitment to the Hoosiers.
Hare has one year of eligibility remaining. This past season with the Cyclones, in 32 games played and 31 starts, Hare averaged 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game on 40.5% field goal shooting and 40% from 3-point range. A hip injury limited Hare to just 10 games during her first year with the Cyclones in the 2024-25 season.
The soon-to-be redshirt senior transferred to Iowa State before the 2024-25 campaign after spending two seasons at Marquette from 2022-24. Hare averaged a career-best 14 points per game on 45.5% field goal shooting and 42.5% 3-point shooting during the 2023-24 season with the Golden Eagles.
Had Iowa been able to lure the Naperville, Ill., native to Iowa City, Hare would have been another valuable addition to the Hawkeyes’ backcourt depth. But, Iowa has landed other backcourt reinforcements throughout this transfer portal cycle.
The Hawkeyes inked both Dani Carnegie and Amari Whiting.
Carnegie was a first-team All-SEC selection this past season at Georgia, averaging 17.8 points per game on 42.7% field goal shooting, 35.4% from 3-point range and 83.3% from the free-throw line. Whiting averaged 9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game on 42.5% field goal shooting, 32.1% 3-point accuracy, and 71.6% free-throw shooting.
As Hare joins a promising core of players in Bloomington, the Hawkeyes will once again face the former Cyclone at least once this upcoming season as part of their Big Ten regular-season slate.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Senator Chuck Grassley said he’s recovering from a gallstone removal procedure.
His media team shared that he is working in Iowa “in good spirits and looks forward to returning to Washington soon.”
“I’m gr8ful [sic] for the excellent care from local health care providers,” he shared on X.
Over the weekend in Iowa I had a procedure to remove gallstones I’m gr8ful for the excellent care from local health care providers Be back to capitol ASAP
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) April 20, 2026
Grassley, 92, is the oldest senator currently in office and the sixth-longest-serving senator in U.S. history.
The Senate is in session this week.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Former Iowa State center Audi Crooks has committed to Oklahoma State via the NCAA Transfer Portal. She has one season of eligibility remaining.
Crooks made 99 appearances and 95 starts during her three seasons at Iowa State. She averaged 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this past season, while shooting 64.9% from the field. Additionally, the 6-foot-3 star shot 1-11 from 3-point range.
Crooks played a leading role for the Cyclones from the moment she stepped on campus. She is a three-time All-Big 12 First-Team selection and two-time All-American. On April 2, Crooks announced her intention to enter the transfer portal.
“Cyclone Nation, thank you all for embracing me and showing up to Hilton every single game day. I’ve met so many of you out in the community, and I will cherish all of the genuine connections that I’ve built during my time at Iowa State,” Crooks wrote. “Words cannot fully express how grateful I feel to have called this place home.
“I want to thank my teammates for their friendship and all the great memories. … I still believe the grass is greener where you water it, and I’ve done that here.”
Now, Audi Crooks will aim to thrive in her new environment. Oklahoma finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-10 overall record.
The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opened on April 6 and closes on April 20. The new 15-day window was enacted following a recommendation by the women’s basketball oversight committee. Athletes don’t have to commit to a new school by the April 21 deadline.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
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