Republican Randy Feenstra won Iowa’s 4th Congressional District election Tuesday night, beating Democratic candidate J.D. Scholten and securing Republican control in the district.

Feenstra gained 65 percent of the vote as of 11:07 p.m., with Scholten garnering 33 percent. 

Feenstra beat back a well-funded opponent who gained national attention in 2018 for coming within spitting distance of beating Republican Steve King, who currently holds the seat. Feenstra’s campaign raised $1.7 million as of Sept. 30, while Scholten had raised $2.5 million.

“it’s humbling. We’ve worked the last 22 months…and people put their trust in me, and now I need to represent them and, now the real work begins,” Feenstra said in an interview with The Daily Iowan. “Starting Jan. 1 I want to represent those people in Congress and make a difference for them, whether it be the farmer or business and the family. They put their trust in me and now I get to deliver for them.”

Feenstra defeated King in the June Republican primary. King has suffered backlash from Republicans and Democrats alike because of a history of controversial and xenophobic comments, and he was stripped of his committee assignments in 2019 after making comments to the New York Times supporting white nationalism.

On Election Day, King posted on twitter that he voted for Trump but couldn’t bring himself to vote for the Republican nominee, Feenstra, for Congress. 

Scholten, a paralegal that once played professional baseball, lost to King in 2018 by only 4 percentage points. This time around, Feenstra had more support from Republican establishment officials and proved to get more support in the district, which is the most Republican district in Iowa. 

Feenstra, 51, is currently serving his third term in the Iowa State senate as a Pro-Trump conservative that hopes to bring his Christian upbringing to Iowan families. He is endorsed by the Right to Life and supports the defunding of Planned Parenthood. 

Feenstra supports renewable fuels while eliminating the grain bin tax. He received an A Rating from the NRA and opposes all infringements to the 2nd amendment. 

In an interview with The Daily Iowan, Scholten said he hopes Feenstra becomes more inclusive and listens to people on a greater level than Feenstra did in his campaign. 

This story will be updated as results come in.