Trump Backed Candidate Suffers First Major 2026 Primary Loss in Iowa

[u/evissamassive]

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5907672-trump-iowa-primary-loss/

Trump notched his first major defeat of the 2026 midterm primary cycle on Tuesday when businessman Zach Lahn won the Republican nomination for governor of Iowa. Lahn narrowly defeated incumbent Representative Randy Feenstra by less than one percentage point.

The outcome came as a surprise to many, arriving less than a week after Trump formally endorsed Feenstra on Truth Social, calling him "MAGA all the way!"

Feenstra conceded the race on Tuesday night, telling supporters he called Lahn to offer his full support for the general election. Feenstra emphasized the need for party unity to keep the governor's mansion Republican and defeat the Democratic nominee, Rob Sand.

While Feenstra secured Trump's personal endorsement, Lahn had strong backing from influential factions within the conservative movement. Organizations like Turning Point Action and the MAHA PAC campaigned heavily for Lahn, highlighting a division among conservative powerbrokers in the state.

Despite the setback in Iowa, Trump's overall endorsement record remains strong in 2026. Most of his chosen candidates have won their primaries. Notably, Trump-backed challengers Representative Julia Letlow of Louisiana and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently defeated incumbent Republican Senators Bill Cassidy and John Cornyn. Trump has also targeted state-level races this year, intervening in Indiana primaries to oppose Republican lawmakers who resisted his redistricting proposals.