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Randy Feenstra launches exploratory committee as he weighs gubernatorial run in 2026

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Randy Feenstra launches exploratory committee as he weighs gubernatorial run in 2026


Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra has launched an exploratory committee as he signals strong interest in running for governor of Iowa in 2026.

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“Since Governor (Kim) Reynolds announced her decision not to seek re-election, Iowans from every corner of the state and walk of life have asked me to run,” he said in a statement Tuesday, May 13. “The outpouring of encouragement and my desire to continue giving back to our great state has brought me to today’s announcement. I want to thank Governor Reynolds for her strong, conservative leadership for Iowa.”

Feenstra is in his third term representing Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, which spans 36 counties in northwest Iowa and along the full western edge of the state. It is, by far, the state’s most conservative congressional district, which could give him an edge with likely Republican primary voters.

He won the seat in 2020 after ousting longtime U.S. Rep. Steve King in a Republican primary. And he handily won reelection in 2022 and 2024 as an incumbent.

Feenstra filed the paperwork necessary for a gubernatorial campaign May 12 with Iowa’s Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.

In a release, he touted his commitment to supporting Republican President Donald Trump’s agenda.

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“I’ve stood with President Trump and fought against Joe Biden’s radical policies,” he said in a statement. “I’ve led the fight to stop Communist China from buying our farmland and backed President Trump every step of the way as we’ve secured the border. I’m fighting every day to renew the Trump Tax Cuts, protect the family budget, and support our main street businesses. As governor, I will stand with President Trump, defeat the left, and help usher in America’s next golden age.”

He said he will begin raising money and having conversations with Iowans around the state.

If Feenstra does enter the race, he would do so with a strong financial advantage. He’s legally allowed to transfer the money from his congressional fundraising accounts into a state campaign for governor. He reported ending the last quarter with about $1.6 million in cash on hand that could help seed a gubernatorial campaign.

The seat opened after Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds made a surprise announcement in April that she would not seek reelection in 2026.

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Former Republican state Rep. Brad Sherman had said prior to Reynolds’ announcement that he would run for governor.

Multiple other Republicans have signaled their interest in the race since Reynolds’ announcement. They include Attorney General Brenna Bird, state Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig, state Sen. Mike Bousselot, House Speaker Pat Grassley and state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann. Bousselot has also launched a formal exploratory committee.

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Democratic state Auditor Rob Sand announced May 12 he would seek his party’s nomination.

Sand also enters the race with a sizeable financial advantage. He announced at the end of last year he had raised more than $8 million. And he announced May 13 that his campaign had raised $2.25 million in his campaign’s first 24 hours.

Democrats sought to undermine Feenstra’s potential candidacy after news broke that he had filed paperwork with the state.

“Whether in Washington or Des Moines, Congressman Randy Feenstra has been a reliable foot soldier for the misguided partisans and insiders ruining our state,” Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said in a statement. “Meanwhile, Iowa is now 49th in economic growth and losing manufacturing jobs while Rep. Feenstra has failed to deliver a farm bill, voted to gut Medicaid, and supported Iowa’s unaccountable voucher program that’s jeopardizing Iowa’s fiscal budget. We need a new direction and Randy Feenstra is just more of the same failed leadership.”

Feenstra is scheduled to hold his annual fundraiser, the Feenstra Family Picnic, May 30 in Sioux Center alongside U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

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Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on X at @brianneDMR.



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Iowa DOT offers ‘Alive at 25′ program for young drivers facing suspensions

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Iowa DOT offers ‘Alive at 25′ program for young drivers facing suspensions


DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa Department of Transportation is working to help drivers facing suspension with a new behavioral education course called “Alive at 25” for drivers on intermediate-level licenses.

“Our goal is to focus on the negative behavior or poor behavior that we’re seeing behind the wheel,” said Vania Boyd, Iowa DOT driver education manager.

Young drivers who have received a second violation have the one-time opportunity to take the course instead of receiving a suspension.

“It’s not a retake of driver’s ed. It focuses on distracted driving, road rage, talks about peer pressure, talks about distractions behind the wheel, and helps guide students on ways to avoid those behaviors,” said Boyd.

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The DOT partnered with the Iowa-Illinois Safety Council, which hosts the four-hour virtual course.

Boyd said from 2024 to 2025, more than 5,500 students on the intermediate level would have been eligible to take the program.

“We saw a lot of connection to speed, students not wearing the seatbelt, a lot of behavioral decisions behind the wheel that we want to correct,” Boyd said.

Lisa Elskamp lost her daughter, Kennedy, and Kennedy’s best friend, Chloe, to an accident involving speed in 2022.

“At one point, us being able to see on Chloe’s Life 360 that he was hit a max speed of 146 miles an hour,” she said.

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After the crash, the families started Forever 17, a nonprofit aimed at speeding safety advocacy and working to change laws to make things more safe.

Elskamp said courses like these are a step in the right direction.

“Speed was never really talked about. Had I known now what I know then, I would have absolutely had my kids take this course just to learn the outcome of your actions,” she said. “This isn’t just about those teen drivers alone. It’s about the effect of what their driving can also do to everybody around them.”

The course is optional and costs $65 to take.

Boyd said they hope to educate new drivers so they can be as confident as possible when behind the wheel.

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“It’s okay that they made a mistake, but it’s even more important to learn from it and to make smarter choices for the future because it’s not just that individual student on the road. There are hundreds of Iowans on the road every day and everybody wants to get home safe,” Boyd said.

The course can also be taken even if the driver doesn’t have a violation on their license. And while it’s geared towards younger drivers, anyone facing a suspension with an intermediate-level license can take the course.

For more information, click here.



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Iowa High School Football UNI-Dome MVPs

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Iowa High School Football UNI-Dome MVPs


Now that the final Iowa high school football state champion has been crowned, it is time to look back on the incredible two-week journey of action we saw from inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The climate-controlled venue was home to all of the semifinal and final action in all seven classifications of Iowa high school football.

And there were plenty of incredible performances and players who took part in the games.

We have narrowed down the list to one MVP in each class for their efforts from the Iowa high school football state semifinals and championship games. And now the job is up to you to determine who was the MVP of the Iowa high school football state championships.

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Cast your vote for your favorite from the nominees below. Voting will run through Friday, November 28 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

Complete recaps from all seven Iowa high school football state championship games can be found on High School on SI.

Ian Middleton, Iowa, high school football

Dowling Catholic’s Ian Middleton (5) runs the ball during the first quarter against Iowa City Liberty on Nov. 21, 2025, at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ian Middleton was a man against boys in two games from the UNI-Dome, leading the Maroons to their first 5A state football championship and 11th overall in program history. In the finals against Iowa City Liberty, Middleton rushed 34 times for 206 yards, scoring two touchdowns.

In a 14-10 victory over rival Valley in the semifinals, Middleton rushed 29 times for 125 yards. He also caught two passes in the two games.

Carter Hoffmann had the first three touchdowns of the 4A final vs. Pella, finishing the night with 207 yards and three scores on 34 carries as the Saints finished off a perfect season with the state title. 

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In a thrilling 31-24 victory in the semifinals over Newton, Hoffmann rushed 20 times for 130 yards. He also had two catches in the two games.

Austin Waldera, Nevada, Iowa high school football

Nevada’s Austin Waldera (21) dives for the endzone to score a touchdown against the Bishop Heelan Crusaders Nov. 21, 2025 during the Class 3A high school state football championship at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

And who says that the running back position is dead? Not in Iowa high school football, as our third MVP from the UNI-Dome is another running back in Austin Waldera. In a convincing win over Sioux City Bishop Heelan, Waldera rushed 34 times for 173 yards and a touchdown, averaging 46.5 yards while pinning both of his punts inside the 20. He also led the Cubs with seven tackles, adding two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.

Waldera also went off in the semis, rushing 36 times for 233 yards and one touchdown while adding 20 yards receiving on a pair of catches. Again, both of his punts were pinned inside the 20, averaging 55.5 per with a 70-yarder. On defense, he again led Nevada, recording 11 tackles, three for loss, a sack and a quarterback hurry.

Brock Badding, Kuemper Catholic, Iowa high school football

Kuemper Catholic’s Brock Badding (12) and Charles Mayhall (15) celebrate in the fourth quarter Nov. 21, 2025 during the Class 2A high school state football championship Van Meter’s at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Behind Brock Badding, the Knights secured gold, as the signal-caller was 17-for-30 passing for 153 yards with a touchdown in the finals over Van Meter. He also ran for a score and averaged 41.5 yards on four punts, putting two down inside the 20.

In the semifinals, Badding blew up, completing 27 of 38 for 405 yards and six touchdowns, hitting three receivers for two TDs each while four had at least five catches.

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Evan Hildring, West Lyon, Iowa high school football

Iowa City Regina’s Will Litton (45) attempts to tackle West Lyon’s Evan Hildring (15) Nov. 20, 2025 during the Class 1A state football championship at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Wildcats leaned heavily on Evan Hilding, and he delivered, rushing 26 times for 112 yards and two touchdowns to lead them to a second consecutive state title. He also had three catches for 21 yards and recorded six tackles with one for loss in the finals.

Hildring piled up 174 yards rushing and two touchdowns on just 18 carries in the semifinals, making seven tackles with two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry.

Eli Harpenau, MMCRU, Iowa high school football

MMCRU’s quarterback Eli Harpenau (12) runs with the ball for a first down against MMCRU during the first quarter in the class-A state football championship on Nov. 20, 2025, at UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Royals had several worthy contenders, but it was Eli Harpenau who took home the hardware. In the finals, he was a precise 14 of 21 passing for 169 yards and a touchdown, adding 44 yards rushing and a second score. 

Harpenau had a big semifinal performance, going 9 of 17 for 212 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for a team-high 53 yards.

Tate Foertsch, Bishop Garrigan, Iowa high school football

Bishop Garrigan quarterback Tate Foertsch (7) celebrates after touchdown against Woodbine during the fourth quarter in the 8-players state football championship on Nov. 20, 2025, at UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There was not much that the Golden Bear senior didn’t do in earning his second state title in three years, as Tate Foertsch scored the game-winning two-point conversion in the finals to cap an incredible rally. He was 9 of 13 passing for 131 yards, rushing 36 times for 157 yards and three scores. On defense, Foertsch had four tackles and a pass breakup.

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In the semifinals, Foertsch was 4-for-5 for 80 yards, with three of those completions going for touchdowns. He ran 15 times for 73 yards and had three more scores, recording 5.5 tackles with an interception on defense.

High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.



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Class 4A — Pella Dutch vs. Xavier Saints

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Class 4A — Pella Dutch vs. Xavier Saints


ISHAA Football Championships | Game

Nov 20, 2025 | 2 hr 30 min

The Pella Dutch play the Xavier Saints for the Class 4A title.

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Programming support for the 2025 IHSAA Football Championships is provided by Fareway and Iowa Bankers Association.

View the full schedule.

 

This year brought a significant challenge: Congress eliminated federal funding for public media, resulting in a loss of $3.5 million—or 18% of our annual budget here at Iowa PBS. It’s the largest cut to public funding in our history. Our mission hasn’t changed—but without federal support, it’s harder to accomplish.

Through it all, our commitment to you remains the same. We know we can weather this challenge, but not without you. Your generosity has always powered Iowa PBS, and today it matters more than ever. Donate today to support future programming you love.

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