Randy Feenstra, Kevin Virgil spar over conservative credentials before 4th District primary
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CHEROKEE — U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra and businessman Kevin Virgil will face off in a primary race June 4, presenting voters in the state’s most Republican congressional district with different interpretations of conservative leadership.
At a candidate forum in Cherokee, Feenstra, who is seeking a third term, argued Thursday that the government has a role to play in expanding Iowa’s economy by offering tax credits to incentivize things such as rural housing development and growing the sustainable aviation fuel industry. And he said compromising with Democrats in a divided government is necessary to ensure needed legislation moves forward.
“There’s a return on investment of what are we getting out of it for taxpayer dollars?” Feenstra told the Des Moines Register. “And that’s what I look at every day: How can we, without spending dollars, create policy that can grow our economy in the 4th District in Iowa?”
Virgil, who has not held public office, said he opposes federal involvement in a range of issues, saying he would be in favor of letting programs like the Renewable Fuel Standard, which supports the ethanol industry, come to a close.
“Whenever we see a problem, the immediate response or the immediate question from the people is, ‘Hey what can the federal government do about this? Can Congress do something?’” Virgil said. “I have yet to see many examples in the last few years of government stepping up to solve a problem and not creating a bigger one.”
The forum was hosted by the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, the Iowa Biodiesel Board and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and focused on renewable fuels and agriculture.
Virgil said he decided to run because he believes Feenstra “has very quietly proven to be one of the worst conservatives in Congress.”
Feenstra pushed back, telling the Register that Virgil is “the liberal between the two of us,” noting that he has not lived in Iowa for years before deciding to move back to his home state to run for Congress.
Virgil joined the military after high school, attending West Point and serving overseas, before starting a software development business in the Washington, D.C., area.
He said he and his family had been considering moving back to Iowa for some time, and his run for Congress accelerated the decision. He said he plans to remain in the state even if his primary bid is unsuccessful.
Feenstra is from Iowa and has worked as the Hull city administrator, Iowa State Bank insurance manager, and business and economics professor at Dordt University. He also served as Sioux County treasurer and as an Iowa state senator for 12 years before running for Congress.
More: Meet the candidates running for Iowa's 4th Congressional District
GOP primary carries extra weight in conservative 4th District
The Republican primary contest carries extra weight in Iowa’s 4th District, where registered Republicans far outnumber Democrats. That means whichever candidate emerges from the Republican primary is the heavy favorite to be elected in November.
Feenstra — who has the power of incumbency, commands a higher public profile in the district and has built up a strong war chest — holds the advantage over Virgil going into primary day.
According to financial filings with the Federal Election Commission, Feenstra has raised more than $3 million this election cycle and has about $2 million in the bank.
He’s been able to use that to fund more than $650,000 in television ads, digital ads and mailers, according to an April campaign memo issued by his staff.
Feenstra also holds endorsements from Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and other top elected officials.
In contrast, Virgil has raised about $43,000 and had less than $8,000 in the bank, according to his April filings.
His campaign has been endorsed by former U.S. presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and former U.S. Rep. Steve King.
Feenstra was elected in 2020 after defeating King in a primary race, 46% to 36%. King, who had a long history of controversial remarks, had recently been stripped of his committee assignments in Congress after the New York Times quoted him questioning how white supremacy and white nationalism became offensive terms.
Virgil told the Des Moines Register in an interview that although “there’s a wide spectrum of opinions about” King, he’s glad to have his endorsement and advice. Virgil said he “probably wouldn't have entered into this campaign if I didn't have his support.”
“I've got to tell you, there's a lot of seller's remorse,” Virgil said. “A lot of people who voted against (King) in 2020 have expressed strong regret to me, particularly given who they voted for. A lot of people are upset with what they see as a lack of interest by Feenstra in in representing their interests.”
Feenstra, in an interview, declined to discuss King’s involvement in the race.
“Bottom line is I'm going to deliver results,” he said. “I don't I don't care about whatever is happening on the other side. I just worry about what I can do for the 4th District and help families and farming community and small businesses. That's my whole goal.”
The winner of the primary will take on Democrat Ryan Melton, a 39-year-old insurance professional from Nevada.
This is Melton’s second run in the 4th District. Feenstra defeated him in 2020, earning about 67% of the vote to Melton’s 30%.
Kevin Virgil says pipelines, eminent domain motivated his run
Virgil said he began to think about running for Congress because of his opposition to proposed carbon capture pipelines’ use of eminent domain.
He has criticized Feenstra’s support of a tax credit program intended to support carbon sequestration for the ethanol industry.
“The nature of pulling completely harmless carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and the government paying people to do that is — that's offensive to me to begin with,” Virgil said. “But when you're talking about seizing people's land in order to make that happen, that's just the most un-American thing I think many people here have ever seen. That's why the vast majority of Iowans are opposed to it. And I think it says a lot about who Feenstra really works for when he's ignoring the wishes of his constituents and pushing so hard to make this happen.”
Feenstra joined with Iowa’s three other House Republican members to oppose a debt ceiling bill negotiated by party leaders because it stripped out biofuel tax credits last year. Before their pushback, the bill would have also scaled back a tax credit program aimed at carbon sequestration pipelines for ethanol plants.
“The biofuels industry drives the Iowa economy and is vital to our nation's energy security. We are proud to deliver a major victory for this industry and our whole state in these negotiations," Feenstra said in a joint statement at the time.
Feenstra told the Register he believes the pipeline builders are “trying to do something that’s good for producers and for our farming community,” although he opposes eminent domain.
“I’m against eminent domain,” he said. “I believe that it’s capitalism — that it’s between the land owner and the pipeline.”
Randy Feenstra touts support for Israel, Republican Jewish Coalition endorsement
More: Early voting has started for Iowa's June 4 primary election. Here's what you should know:
Feenstra said one of the biggest differences between him and Virgil are their stances on Israel, and he touted his endorsement from the Republican Jewish Coalition.
“I stand with Israel. That is so important,” Feenstra said. “My opponent has admitted that he would not stand with Israel during these great times of concern. And, you know, those are some big issues.”
Feenstra joined with Iowa’s other House Republicans to vote for foreign aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan in April — a vote that Virgil has criticized.
Virgil said in an interview that while Israel plays an important role in his own religious beliefs, he opposes providing foreign aid to “any and all countries” unless doing so “prioritizes American interests.”
“I'm looking at the countries that our Congress seems to want to send all of our taxpayer revenue to, right, like Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan,” he said. “I see no compelling argument for how doing so, how further digging our fiscal grave prioritizes our interests. So no, I wouldn't support any of those foreign aid packages.”
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. She is also covering the 2024 presidential race for USA TODAY as a senior national campaign correspondent. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.
June 4 is Iowa’s primary election
Early voting began May 15. And polls are open on Election Day, Tuesday June 4, from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Voters can find their precinct and polling place on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Randy Feenstra battles Kevin Virgil in deep red Iowa congressional race
