(Radio Iowa) – All four Republicans who represent Iowa in the U-S House are seeking reelection, including fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra. Feenstra’s 2024 race is a General Election rematch with Ryan Melton, a Democrat from Webster City. Feenstra’s Republican opponent in the June Primary got 40 percent of the vote and that candidate — Kevin Virgil — endorsed Melton in August. The primary reason? Melton and Virgil both oppose the use of eminent domain to seize land for a carbon pipeline. Feenstra says he’s also opposed to eminent domain, but the pipeline is a state issue, not a federal issue and he calls Virgil anti-agriculture.

“He wants to side with the liberal progressives and Ryan Melton and the Democrat Party,” Feenstra says. Melton says he expects to get some protest votes from Republicans. There are 90-thousand more registered Republicans than Democrats in the district and Iowa State University political science professor Dave Peterson says that’s a big advantage for Feenstra. “Melton is running a valiant campaign,” Peterson says, “but he’s just outmatched in this district and Feenstra’s going to win this one pretty easy.”

Melton says his candidacy is partly a party-building exercise, as there are more Democrats in the fourth congressional district running for other offices. “I know this is going to be a mid-to-long term build,” Melton says, “but I’ve played a role in recruiting those candidates and hopefully building a new direction for the party in our district.” Feenstra, who is from Hull, says his top priorities for 2025 would be securing the southern border and extending the Trump-era tax cuts. “We’ve got to quit spending,” Feenstra says, “and get to a balanced budget.”

The fourth district covers 36 counties and includes the cities of Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Spencer, Algona, Fort Dodge and Marshalltown.