IA-GOV: Pardoned Jan. 6 rioters are top donors for two Iowa GOP governor candidates
Two candidates in Iowa’s gubernatorial race received their largest campaign donations from individuals who were later pardoned for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, campaign finance records show.
There are five candidates vying for the Republican nomination for Iowa’s governor’s mansion after incumbent Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) announced last year that she would not seek a third term. While U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) held a fundraising lead of over $2 million over the next candidate, Zach Lahn, there is no clear frontrunner in the race. President Donald Trump has also refused to offer an endorsement.
H3 Zach Lahn’s largest donor was accused of assaulting Capitol Police
Lahn is a farmer and businessman who entered the race last November. Although Lahn ended 2025 with $2.1 million cash on hand, well behind Feenstra’s $4.3 million, he recently finished second out of the five candidates in an informal straw poll. The poll was conducted by several county Republican parties in Iowa last month. Feenstra finished fourth.
https://heartlandsignal.com/2026/02/09/pardoned-jan-6-rioters-are-top-donors-in-two-iowa-gop-governor-candidates/
