A political newcomer is trying to shake up the primary race in Iowa’s most conservative district

“I’ll never vote for a tax increase on the federal level for any reason.”

Kevin Virgil stands on a black and white checkered floor at a retro-looking soda fountain in the heart of Ida Grove a couple of weeks before the primary. He makes a pitch to about 20 people on why he should be the Republican candidate for Congress over Iowa's current 4th District representative, Randy Feenstra.

“I will answer any questions any of you have about anything for as long as you want to stick around,” he told the small crowd.

Virgil grew up in northwest Iowa’s O’Brien County, graduated from West Point in 1995 and served in the Army before working for the CIA after 9/11. After a stint on Wall Street, he now owns a business that develops and sells software.

He returned to his home state for a visit last summer, where he eventually became inspired to get into politics.

“I came in to this race because I was really upset with what's happening here in Iowa, with regard to politically well-connected companies seeking to violate the constitutional rights of landowners — like my family — and wanted to do something about it,” Virgil said.

Virgil deeply opposes eminent domain, an issue of importance to this rural 4 ^th Congressional District, which covers 36 counties in western Iowa. He says Feenstra has enabled Summit Carbon Solutions’ effort to build a carbon capture pipeline in the state.

Feenstra disputed this claim a week later during a campaign gathering in Denison, organized by the Iowa Federation of Republican Women.

“I’m not for eminent domain. Never have been," Feenstra said. "It's between, again, the landowner and the private company. That's what's gonna happen. If there's no agreement, then it can't come through."

Feenstra first won a seat in Congress in 2020 by beating long-time incumbent Steve King by almost ten points . King is now a big supporter of Virgil’s campaign, even attending events alongside the first-time candidate.

"Virgil's gone everywhere, and if you listen to him, he doesn't back away from any question," King said. "He gives you clear answers. And his positions are probably a little bit more libertarian than my ideology is, but it's time we need more of that, so I'm enthusiastically behind Kevin Virgil."

Previously, Feenstra served in the Iowa Legislature and, before that, as Sioux County's treasurer. He also worked for a candy company, taught at Dordt University and was city administrator for his lifelong hometown of Hull.

“I've served the district now for close to three-and-a-half years,” Feenstra said. “For me, it's all about delivering results and creating solutions to our nation's problems for our families, for our small businesses on Main Street, and for our agriculture community.”

The candidates may be at odds, but both believe that securing the southern border is the most important issue in this election cycle. They also feel government spending is out of control, and that the Biden administration is too liberal.

“The 4th District is obviously the most conservative district in the state. It is, as long as the candidate isn’t a disaster, a pretty safe Republican seat,” said David Peterson, a professor of political science at Iowa State University who works and lives in the 4th District.

He said it would be shocking if Feenstra doesn’t win the primary.

“Feenstra is a well-known Republican who has worked his way up to the state party and was sort of handpicked by a lot of the leading Republicans in the state to challenge King a few cycles ago,” Peterson said. “And he's done the things that a member of Congress is supposed to do.”

Virgil has been more visible in the weeks leading up to the election, and some county Republican leaders have expressed concern that Feenstra hasn’t been willing to debate his opponent. The two did agree to a forum on the campus of Western Iowa Tech Community College in Cherokee a few days before the primary.

Both sides have bashed the other. Campaign mailers from Feenstra question Virgil’s loyalty to Iowa, saying he hasn’t voted in the state since 1992. Virgil tells anyone who will listen that Feenstra isn’t conservative enough and votes against the Constitution.

Peterson said that’s just all part of the political game, with a newcomer trying to get a foothold in an uphill battle.

“Virgil seems to be a little bit more of a bomb thrower, right a little bit more of somebody who is willing to be very, very critical of members of his own party and has taken this approach to suggest that Feenstra some kind of bipartisan moderate, which he really is not,” Peterson said.

The winner of the contest between Feenstra and Virgil will face Democrat Ryan Melton in November. The insurance supervisor from Nevada doesn’t have a challenger for the primary. During the general election in 2022, he lost to Feenstra by almost 40 points.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on primary day.