A potential civil war is brewing for the Republican Party in Iowa, as President Donald Trump is pitted against a major faction that usually stands with him.
On Friday, Trump took to his Truth Social account to endorse Rep. Randy Feenstra's gubernatorial campaign.
"A Fourth Generation Iowan, successful Businessman, former Treasurer of Sioux County, State Senator, and now, as a distinguished U.S. Congressman, Randy has delivered strong results for the Hawkeye State," wrote Trump, running through the usual laundry list of MAGA policy positions he expects Feenstra to hold.
He concluded the endorsement with his usual "RANDY WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!"
But mere minutes after this endorsement dropped, Turning Point USA, the far-right student group founded by the late Charlie Kirk, bucked Trump to instead back farmer and businessman Zach Lahn, despite their usual alignment on issues.
"Honored to have just received the endorsement of my longtime friend Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point Action," wrote Lahn. "Charlie and I first became friends when he was just 17 years old. Much of our campaign is centered around the issues he and I both cared about for a very long time. We have the momentum to win this race June 2nd. Grateful for their support to put IOWA FIRST."
All of this, noted CNN politics reporter Patrick Svitek, comes as "The primary is Tuesday, and Feenstra's had to go negative on rival Zach Lahn in recent days."
Democrats have landed a formidable recruit for the race in state auditor Rob Sand, who has led in a number of polls; Iowa GOP lawmakers are so frightened he could flip the office that they are pre-emptively passing legislation that would limit some of his powers.
