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Congressperson Randy Feenstra withstood a challenge from conservative Kevin Virgil in June. Feenstra won the primary by about 20 points — a difference of 9,120 votes. The Congressperson represents Iowa’s most conservative congressional district.

But Virgil is encouraging voters in Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District to consider voting for Donald J. Trump in the presidential election and the Democrat in Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District race.

Virgil admitted his public support for such a move is not “typical” of today’s politicians who, as he said, “are expected to place party loyalty above all.”

He explained his decision in a lengthy Twitter post. Those interested can read it here or below the end of this story.

Needless to say, Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann reacted on Twitter, saying that Virgil’s position favors a “socialist, anti-Trump candidate and helps Kamala Harris.”

Virgil, though, said that while in most cases he would agree with Kaufmann, Feenstra simply votes like a Democrat too often.

“At least with Melton we get intellectual honesty,” Virgil said.

Kaufmann said that Virgil is “hurting” the conservative cause.

Much of the division comes from Congressperson Feenstra’s support for the carbon capture pipeline project that seems destined to utilize eminent domain for a private, for-profit project.

While Feenstra’s 20-point win against Virgil may seem lopsided, the reality is Virgil just barely raised over $100,000 while Feenstra had millions of dollars at his disposal.

Feenstra also showed a drastic decline in support from key counties in the 2024 primary versus the 2020 primary.

Regardless, Virgil’s “endorsement” of Melton clearly turned some heads within the Republican Party.

Melton and Congressperson Feenstra aren’t the only two options in the race, however, as Libertarian Charles Aldrich is also on the ballot.

Virgil’s full explanation of his support for Melton and against Congressperson Feenstra:

Yesterday I declared that voters in my congressional district should consider voting for a split ticket – for President Trump at the national level, and local Democrat Ryan Melton for Congress.
Obviously this is not a typical endorsement as today’s politicians are expected to place party loyalty above all. My phone has thus been ringing off the hook for the past 24 hours. Many people are supportive, more than a few are upset, and I’m sure that a silent majority have questions as to why I would make such an unusual proposal.
Here’s why.
I am not a career politician and never had any ambitions to run for office. I only chose to do so because our current congressman, Randy Feenstra, is so widely disliked. Most voters acknowledge that he accomplishes nothing, that he refuses to engage with his constituents, and that he has been bought and paid for by the national party establishment and by his corporate donors.
Yet for the past two terms voters have held their noses and voted for him, because Republicans outnumber Democrats 2-to-1 in this district. And for most of them, voting any other way would be unthinkable – regardless of how bad their party’s candidate might be.
But that blind party loyalty hasn’t helped our state, and has brought forth serious problems.
Republicans have an ironclad grip on Iowa’s political establishment. In fact, the last time the Democrats controlled the governor’s office and both chambers of the state legislature was in 1965. That was nearly 60 years ago!
And as of today both of our US Senators and all four congressional seats are controlled by the GOP. It’s a dream scenario that only exists in a handful of states.
What do we have to show for it today?
  • Iowa’s K-12 education system has dropped from #1 among all 50 states when I was a student in the 1980s, to #24 today (source: USNWR)
  • We have the second highest rate of cancer diagnoses in all 50 states, and we are the ONLY state where cancer rates are rising
  • We have become one of the crossroads of human trafficking in the US
  • We are the #9 state in % of children living below the poverty line
  • We are in the bottom 10% for mental health facilities and care
  • Family farms are disappearing
  • Small hog farms (like the one I grew up in) have nearly disappeared and the largest pork producing business in this state is now controlled by the Chinese Communist Party
Iowa has much to be proud of, and there are many Republican politicians who are working hard to improve their constituents’ lives. The ‘endorsements’ page on my campaign website is full of examples of these good leaders.
The problem is that our voter base has become far too tolerant of BAD leaders, all in the sake of party loyalty.
Frankly, the only way that our so-called leadership is going to get the message is if ‘we the people’ demonstrate that we are no longer willing to tolerate bad candidates.
That’s why I am proposing a vote for Ryan Melton this November. Ryan and I disagree on many issues – right to life, taxation, etc. But he’s pragmatic, and knows that Western Iowa is a highly conservative district. I believe that he has good character and will represent us well – certainly better than our current congressman. (It also doesn’t hurt that the Democratic Party doesn’t even acknowledge his existence. He will be his own man.)
And to be clear, I do not make this decision lightly. At the national level the Democratic Party has completely lost its way. Today they are the party of censorship, of war, of protecting their rich donors, of unchecked illegal immigration, and radical social upheaval. I want no part of it. President Trump is the only logical choice at the top of the ticket and I intend to support him.
But at the same time, Iowa’s fortunes have deteriorated after six decades of one-party leadership in this state. We need elected officials who will ask hard questions about the serious issues:
  • What is the linkage between glyphosate herbicides and pesticides, and our sky-high cancer rates?
  • Why are our politicians so eager to sell out our constitutional rights for a CO2 pipeline when a recent poll showed that 78% of Iowans oppose it?
  • Why are our leaders so beholden to corporate donors instead of their constituents?
In short, the Republican party needs a serious wake-up call. We need better leaders who remember that they represent “we the people” and not Big Ag.
I have heard from hundreds, if not thousands, of voters who intend to write in my name on the ballot this November in the general election. I am so grateful for their support. However as we all know, 99.9% of write-in campaigns are unsuccessful and I urge them to use their vote more wisely.
I urge them to consider ‘holding their nose’ and voting out a bad leader, and sending a very clear message to Des Moines that our elected leaders need to remember who they work for.

Author: The Iowa Standard

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