A Republican primary competitor to Iowa Rep. Steve King raised more money than the longtime incumbent during the first quarter of 2019.
King’s campaign spent more than it raised. The team took in $61,667, while it spent $69,502 during the first quarter, according to Federal Election Commission filings. During that same period, King’s top primary challenger Iowa state Sen. Randy Feenstra raised four times that amount, roughly $260,000.
Earlier this year King came under fire for inquiring why phrases like “white nationalist” and “white supremacist” have become “offensive” during an interview with the New York Times.
In the ensuring controversy over what critics saw as King voicing support for white supremacy, the congressman came out and said he he rejects white nationalism and white supremacy and accused the Times of misquoting him. King was stripped of his assignments on the Judiciary and Agriculture committees, but defiantly said in February, “I have noting to apologize for,” and declared his intention to seek reelection.
King has served in Congress since 2003 and faced a close challenge during the 2018 election. Feenstra announced he would challenge King during the Republican primary in 2020 after the Times interview came out.
“The president needs effective conservative leaders in Congress who will not only support his agenda, but actually get things done,” Feenstra said during the announcement of his candidacy. “… We don’t need any more sideshows or distractions; we need to start winning for Iowa’s families.”
